SALINAS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Executive Management Team
- President
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the Executive Management Team
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Board of Governors
Bill is the managing partner at Hastie Financial Group, a wealth management firm with roots in Salinas going back more than 35 years. He earned a BS in Economics from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, an MBA in Financial Planning from Golden Gate University in San Francisco, and most recently attended the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Executive Education and earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst® designation.
In addition to the Salinas Valley Health Foundation Board, Bill currently serves on the Executive Board for the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce, and on the boards of Key for a Cure Foundation and the Salinas Police Foundation. He and his wife, Terri, raised their three children in Salinas (all of whom are now married).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Management Team
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Bay Federal Credit Union in 1989 As the Chief Financial Officer
Carrie joined Bay Federal Credit Union in 1989 as the Chief Financial Officer and has been the President and CEO since 1995. Carrie's passion is to expand economic opportunity in our region by providing access to locally funded financial products and services. Over the years, Bay Federal has grown to be the largest community owned financial institution serving over 80,000 people living in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. Since 2011, Bay Federal has been designated as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) by the U.S. Treasury, recognizing the credit union for fostering local economic opportunity through access to affordable transportation and housing financing.
Bay Federal has over 220 employees and is a recipient of the Best Place to Work in the Bay Area and was named the #1 Best Credit Union to Work For in the Nation in 2019. Bay Federal employees donate their time annually to support the local community through fundraising and volunteer events. The credit union's volunteerism was recognized in 2010 by the former first lady Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger with a medal for the State of California's Small Business Volunteer Program of the Year. Carrie believes that the credit union's values based culture is a key success factor in today's hyper competitive marketplace.
Carrie graduated with a BA, Business Economics from University of California, Santa Barbara and is a Certified Public Accountant. She regularly volunteers in the community and enjoys being outdoors where she lives in Santa Cruz.
Job Titles:
- ASSISTANT TREASURER
- Member of the Elected Board
Catherine Carson, RN, MPA, CPHQ, has 45 years of experience as a registered nurse in a career that has focused on healthcare quality since 1984 and patient safety since 2000. One of the first 200 nurses to become certified in healthcare quality in 1987, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Healthcare Administration. Prior to her 2022 retirement, Catherine was Senior Director and Chief Quality Officer at El Camino Health in Mountain View, California. Catherine grew up on a Central Valley peach ranch and has been coming to Monterey County for 40 years. She is a certified diver and founding supporter of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Catherine returned to the Central Coast to work remotely during the pandemic and now lives on the Highway 68 corridor.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Member of the Executive Management Team
David Ramos, MD, is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician with a military background, having served tours at Fort Ord, CA and Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Fort Campbell, KY. He has been dedicatedly serving Salinas Valley Health in Salinas, CA since 1998. Throughout his time, Dr. Ramos has embraced leadership roles, including Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff, where he notably chaired the Quality and Safety Committee. Beyond these roles, he served hospital administration, spearheading the Emergency Department and making significant contributions as a member of the Salinas Valley Health Foundation Board of Governors.
Job Titles:
- Annual Programs Coordinator
Gary Ray - Chief Legal Officer
Job Titles:
- Chief Legal Officer
- Member of the Executive Management Team
Job Titles:
- Member of Monterey County
- Vice Chair of Governance
Originally from the San Fernando Valley in Southern California, Helen De Young has been an active member of Monterey County for nearly 15 years. She formerly served on the boards of Monterey County Young Professionals Group, Salinas Jaycees, and Monterey Bay Alumni Panhellenic Group. In addition to the Salinas Valley Health Foundation Board of Governors, Helen also serves on the PTA Board for a local Elementary School and is an active member of W.O.W.
Helen was formerly the Regional Director for the American Heart Association, American Stroke Association, and was Alumni & Community Relations Coordinator at CSU Monterey Bay.
Job Titles:
- Chief Philanthropy Officer
Job Titles:
- VICE PRESIDENT of the Elected Board
- Officer for the Community Foundation for Monterey County
A longtime advocate for underserved populations on the Central Coast of California, Joel Hernandez has served as Community Impact Officer for the Community Foundation for Monterey County since 2021. In that role, he supports the management of a diverse set of portfolios with a grant-making total of more than $2.5 million.
Prior to that Joel spent nearly nine years at the Center for Community Advocacy (CCA) where he organized, trained and led community-based groups to advocate for better health and housing conditions in Pajaro and the Salinas Valley. In 2016, Joel became CCA's lead organizer, managing daily operations aligned with the organization's grants and contracts.
Joel was appointed to the Salinas Planning Commission in 2018 where he served for nearly two years. In 2010, he was instrumental in helping design an early framework of the East Salinas Building Healthy Communities Initiative sponsored by The California Endowment.
Joel was born in Michoacán, Mexico and migrated to the United States in the 1990s. He began his volunteer efforts with the national radio network, Radio Bilingue 90.9 FM in Salinas.
Job Titles:
- TREASURER of the Elected Board
As an elected delegate for California State Assembly District 29, Juan Cabrera's responsibilities include electing party officers, voting for positions on ballot propositions and helping establish the California State Party Platform.
Job Titles:
- Philanthropic Communications Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director of Strategic Development
Job Titles:
- Chief Human Resources Officer
- Member of the Executive Management Team
Job Titles:
- General Sales Manager of Wolfhouse Radio Group
Ramon Castro, formerly the General Sales Manager of Wolfhouse Radio Group, has a strong connection to the Hispanic market in the Salinas and Monterey Bay area. His 30+ years of experience as a broadcast media executive led him to form strong relationships with community leaders and government officials. Ramon has worked side by side to help drive community events throughout the entire market, such as Hispanic heritage celebrations and concerts, to mention a few. He has collaborated with multiple nonprofit and charity organizations, supporting various events, including an annual radiothon for our local CMN Hospitals Program, cultural events with Salinas Valley LULAC, Holiday Food drives, and fundraisers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Elected Board
- SECRETARY
A physician with three decades of experience and broad support for his community, Rolando Cabrera, MD, practices Family Medicine at Salinas Valley Health and is the owner of La Gloria Medical Clinic in Salinas, CA. Through his leadership, the Clinic has set a high standard in ongoing free care for people without housing and those who otherwise cannot afford to see a doctor.
In addition to his strong focus on healthcare for the underserved, Dr. Cabrera supports his community in a range of other ways: as founder and chair of the Salinas Police Foundation, and as board member of the Key for a Cure Foundation that raises funding for pediatric cancer research. He is active in the Alisal Rotary Club, serves on the Board of Directors for Pinnacle Bank, the Salinas Mariachi Festival, Monterey County Saint Jude's, and Downtown Streets Team.
Dr. Cabrera is a registered Friesian horse breeder in Monterey County and hosts a weekly Spanish radio preventive health program.
Job Titles:
- Development Services Manager
Job Titles:
- Physician Assistant / Taylor Farms Family Health & Wellness Center
Job Titles:
- PRESIDENT of the Elected Board
Victor's embodiment and ambassadorship of the Salinas Valley Health mission is demonstrated through a life of giving back to the community.
He is a dynamic wellness advocate, serving as organization lead for Blue Zones Project Monterey County - a community-wide health and well-being initiative brought to the region by Salinas Valley Health - and co-owner with his wife of Living Legacy Health and Financial Wellness. He has served on the Board of Directors for Salinas Valley Health for nearly a decade and is currently president. Victor's prior career experience includes 25 years in agribusiness operations management.
A graduate of Alisal High School, Victor later received his degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, going on to earn an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He is a member of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Monterey Bay Leadership Team and the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Latino Alumni Association Leadership Team.
In 2022, the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce named Victor Citizen of the Year. In 2023, he was recognized by Modern Healthcare as part of its Excellence in Governance Class of 2023.