Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the appointment Friday of a San Diego resident to the state board that oversees operations at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
Newsom appointed Sam Nejabat, 28, to the 22nd District Agricultural Association’s Board of Directors, which runs fairground events such as the San Diego County Fair and the Crossroads of the West gun show on behalf of the state. All nine members of the board serve four-year terms and are appointed by the governor.
Nejabat is president of SJN Properties, a position he has held since 2013. According to the governor’s office, Nejabat also has served as a legal associate for AT&T.
The governor’s office did not disclose who Nejabat will replace on the board. He will not require confirmation by the state Senate to take his position and will not receive compensation. Nejabat is a registered Democrat.
A profile on the LN Foundation website, which he co-founded, says his parents, Iranian refugees, escaped during the 1979 revolution.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Nejabat was a five-month summer intern to former Sen. Barbara Boxer and a White House intern in early 2015.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Berkeley, a master’s degree from Dartmouth and a law degree from UC Berkeley.
— City News Service contributed to this report.
