SALINAS VALLEY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair, Government Relations
Job Titles:
- Digital Marketing Specialist
Bryan Cabello grew up in Salinas and graduated in 2021. He is currently a student at Hartnell College studying Economics and Business Administration. He currently is also filling the Treasurer position as part of the Associated Students of Hartnell College (ASHC) and is also a tutor for the Economics and Business departments. He is philanthropic and compassionate as he chooses to constantly volunteer at Digital Nest, food pantries, and other events. During his free time, he is ambitious as he is strategic as he loves to compete in start-up competitions and participate in games of chess.
Job Titles:
- Membership Development Director
is passionate about the Salinas Valley local economy and works daily to engage, grow and speak up for small business. He joined the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce as the Membership Development Director in 2022 after serving in sales, training and management roles in the pest control business for nearly five years. Gabe spent another five years working in sales and customer support roles for Comcast. Gabe was born and raised in Salinas. He attended local schools and grew up working in his father's small business of nearly (30) years. Gabe loves the outdoors and loves the greater Salinas Valley.
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Member Services Manager
Local to Monterey County, Jasmine Bhardwaj was raised in Gonzales and born in Salinas. As she's the daughter of a small business owner, she has been passionate about the Salinas Valley and the local economy from a young age. Jasmine is also a proud California State University Monterey Bay. As a first-generation graduate, Jasmine holds a degree in Business Administration with dual concentrations in management, international business, and accounting (go otters). She has six years of professional work experience in the food and beverage sector and three years of experience working in a university environment. She has a strong commitment to community involvement, advocacy, and fostering a robust local economy. During her free time, Jasmine enjoys watching shows, doing karaoke, and spending time with her family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board / Natividad Foundation
Karin's career spans several decades and is characterized by a wide range of corporate and nonprofit association leadership success. She previously served as the CEO of the South San Francisco Chamber, Russian River Chamber and Visitor Centers, Turlock Chamber of Commerce and as a business recruitment/retention consultant to the Vallejo Chamber. Her work has been cited for excellence by both national and international associations and she has been a regularly featured speaker at seminars and conferences including Business Retention Expansion International, the International Downtown Association, League of California Cities, International Association of Fairs and Expositions, and the Governors Conference on Tourism. Karin has provided executive direction to economic development, tourism agencies and downtown revitalization programs in several cities throughout California as well as to the National Main Street Center in Washington, D.C. She has been a Board Member of the Kings Mountain (NC) Downtown Association, City of Gastonia's Reinvestment for Community Program and the Blue Ridge Parkway Association. As Campaign Director of the Census in the Central Valley, she was honored by the Federal Government for having one of the highest response rates in the United States due to her multi-ethnic marketing campaigns.
Job Titles:
- Government Affairs Consultant
Kevin Dayton has 31 years of professional experience in public policy analysis and strategy for a broad range of issues. He was based for five years in Washington, DC, seven years in the San Francisco Bay Area, ten years in Sacramento, and in the past nine years in Monterey County. He's under contract to the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce as its Government Affairs Liaison.
Mac McDonald is a U.S. Navy veteran with more than 35 years experience as a journalist, working as a reporter, editor, proofreader and photographer on five different newspapers. Mac spent 22 years as a reporter and editor for the Monterey County Herald, the last dozen years as a entertainment columnist and editor of the GO! entertainment section of the Herald. He's worked as a freelance writer and editor for the past eight years. He lives in Southern California with his wife Beth, who owns a small business in Dana Point and is a board member and past chair of the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair, Membership / Monterey County Housing Inc.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations
- Finance