Zakrajsek appointed to Rainbow Community Planning Group

Donna Zakrajsek and her husband own a home in Rainbow; she has worked in non-commercial office buildings and in commercial grocery store and restaurant establishments; her history as a server includes restaurants and hotel events and one of her jobs involved material for churches. That experience with various types of development facilities gives her good basis to work from as a community planning group board member.

"I have a little bit of everything. I know what I'm good at," Zakrajsek said.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0, Dec. 8, to appoint Zakrajsek to a seat on the Rainbow Community Planning Group for a term that began Jan. 4, and will expire Jan. 6, 2025.

"It is an honor and it is all brand-new to me, and I am really excited after joining it on multiple sessions," Zakrajsek said.

Watching virtual meetings gives Zakrajsek some familiarity with the Rainbow Community Planning Group.

"You do have some options there," she said.

The planning group is advisory but makes recommendations to county departments on land use, roads, park facilities and other matters.

"I'm hoping I can bring something to the table," Zakrajsek said.

Zakrajsek purchased their home in Rainbow in 2016. "My husband and I are first-time homeowners," Zakrajsek said.

While working in restaurants, Zakrajsek put herself through classes in Microsoft Office in Vista.

"It got me out of waitressing," she said. "I've been an executive administrator ever since."

Since 2011, Zakrajsek has worked for Becton Dickinson, which manufactures medical equipment and has an office in the Carmel Valley area of San Diego. She began her executive administration career with Star Solutions and worked as a personal assistant for ProfitLine in the Sorrento Mesa area of San Diego. She was offered a position in Vista with Outreach Inc., which publishes material for local churches.

"We all got laid off because they were moving to Colorado," she said.

In addition to obtaining work experience and paychecks at Outreach Inc., Zakrajsek also met her husband, Dave, there. He is originally from Minnesota and currently works for Upper Deck in Carlsbad.

After being laid off from Outreach Inc., Zakrajsek started as a temporary employee at Becton Dickinson for three and a half months before being offered a permanent position.

"I jumped on it, and I've been there ever since," she said. "I'm really good at administration."

Zakrajsek and her husband celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary Dec. 30. When they were looking to purchase a home, a property in the Rice Canyon area of Rainbow was available.

"I just fell in love with the town. I had driven past it on the freeway and never knew what existed here," Zakrajsek said. "It's pretty majestic."

The home is on 1.6 acres, she said.

"Hopefully we can preserve the rural goodness we have left," Zakrajsek said.

Zakrajsek said that she noticed most Rainbow residents have lived in town for a long time since Rainbow has few new homes being built and few sales.

"There's not tons of new homeowners out there," she said.

When she lived in Hemet, she often drove through Temecula and Rainbow, and now that Zakrajsek lives in Rainbow she has become more familiar with Fallbrook including the portion east of Interstate 15. She has experienced growth in both of those communities.

"I see what's happening just on the other side of the mountain," she said.

Zakrajsek wants to avoid that level of growth in Rainbow.

"It just wouldn't be the same anymore," she said.

She would like to have a dog run in Rainbow, potentially near Rainbow Park and Vallecitos Elementary School.

Zakrajsek became interested in a planning group seat after Rainbow Community Planning Group chair Paul Georgantas told her that her background would make her an ideal member of the planning group.

"It was an opportunity for me to get involved," she said. "What better thing than in your own community."

Zakrajsek said she hopes to learn from the lengthier experience of the other planning group members.

"I'm looking to learn from them on how to preserve the atmosphere of this town," she said. "It's almost always the same people."

The specific tasks Zakrajsek will handle as a planning group member are to be determined.

"I'll do whatever they want. I want to bring some value," she said.

Her first planning group meeting will be Jan. 20.

"I'm excited about what that would look like," Zakrajsek said.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].