Monica Tovar

Chair

TMD Creative

Monica is an experienced leader who has created multi-level marketing strategies for many businesses and nonprofit organizations. Her passion for the community has led her to sit on multiple boards and committees such as Salinas Valley Health Foundation, United Way Monterey County, Big Sur Land Trust, Monterey County Rape Crisis Center and Hartnell College’s Women’s Education & Leadership Institute. Prior to being TMD’s President & CEO, she held leadership roles at Entravision Communications, iHeart Media and Stephens Media Group.

Shyam Kamath

Vice Chair of Community Investments

California State University Monterey Bay

Shyam Kamath, Ph.D., is the founding Dean Emeritus of the College of Business at CSU, Monterey Bay and has held academic and administrative positions at leading universities in the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe. He is the recipient of numerous teaching and research awards. He has published over 80 scholarly articles  and three books. He co-founded three business start-ups and numerous academic start-ups. He worked for a national planning agency and for leading multinationals in the energy equipment and consumer goods industries. He has been a consultant to four governments and over 100 companies and non-profits worldwide. He currently serves on several non-profit and for-profit boards.

Alexis Garcia-Arrazola

Vice Chair of Resource Development

City of Seaside Councilmember

Bio Coming Soon!

Brayton Johnson

Treasurer

As a serial entrepreneur and early pioneer in the tech space, Brayton Johnson has founded and led several Web, tech, and digital advertising firms. His strengths lie in strategic planning, general, operational, and financial management, with domain expertise in digital advertising, start-ups and turnarounds. Brayton launched his career in corporate and investment banking, ultimately leaving JPMorgan Chase to embark on his career in tech in The SF Bay area. He and his wife have found their new home and life in Monterey and are grateful for the warm welcome of a great community!

Ann Kern

Secretary

Community Volunteer

Ann Kern is a retired healthcare professional on the way to a new career in legal services.  Prior to that, she served in the local healthcare field in many capacities. Ann trained and received her RN degree from Hadassah School of Nursing, Jerusalem, Israel, and later received an MBA with a minor in healthcare administration from the University of Miami, Florida. She has worked in surgery, outpatient, and urgent care settings in local healthcare institutions over the past 20 years in both clinical and administrative roles.

J. Bradley Barbeau, MBA, Ph.D.

Dr. Brad Barbeau, Ph.D., recently retired as Professor of Entrepreneurship at the CSU Monterey Bay College of Business and Executive Director of the CSUMB Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (iiED). As a faculty member, he taught courses in entrepreneurship and new venture formation and finance. As Executive Director for the iiED, he devoted his efforts to building the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Monterey Bay region and developing and accelerating entrepreneurial ventures. Dr. Barbeau continues to work with startup companies both in operating capacities and as an outside advisor. He is a board member at El Pajaro Community Development Corporation, Santa Cruz Works, and the Gateway Center of Monterey County where he is Chair of the Board and currently the Interim Executive Director. He is also a consultant with the Small Business Development Center for Monterey & San Benito counties and had been serving on the UWMC Community Investments Committee this year as a community member. Dr. Barbeau holds an undergraduate degree in economics and history from Michigan State University, and holds an MBA, an M.A. in economics and Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. .

Daniel Chibaya

Montage Health

Daniel is the Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Montage Health. In his role, he has direct responsibility for Community Hospital’s Environmental Services, support services, and the Montage Wellness Centers. Prior to joining Montage Health, Daniel served as the Chief Operating Officer for Adventist Health and Rideout, which is part of a 22‐hospital healthcare system based in Northern California. Daniel holds a Master of Science degree in Management and in Information Technology from National University in La Jolla, California. He is also a Baldrige Executive Fellow and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

Glenna Datta

Pacific Valley Bank

Glenna Datta currently serves as the to Executive Vice President, Regional Executive Business Banking for Pacific Valley Bank. Glenna has a degree in Business Finance from San Jose State University. She has a long history in the banking industry with over 25 years’ experience. Her primary focus has been in Commercial Lending supporting many clients within the Monterey County footprint and surrounding markets. As a 4th generation on the Monterey Peninsula, Glenna is a life-long native and passionate about the market she serves. Active and committed to making a difference in her community, she currently serves as a board member for Key for a Cure and serves as a mentor for the Woman’s Education & Leadership Institute. Glenna is also known for her previous involvement on the Allocations Team for United Way for many years, her involvement as a board member for Dance Kids of Monterey County, as well as a volunteer for various non-profit agencies throughout Monterey County.

Carmen Gil

City of Gonzales

Carmen Gil is the Gonzales City Manager and previously served for three years as Director of Community Engagement and Strategic Partnership. She has decades of experience working at different organizations in the private and public sectors in Monterey County. She is a board member of the Alliance on Aging, Big Sur Land Trust and the Salinas Valley Health Foundation, and formerly served as an elected board member on the SVH board of trustees. She was formerly the manager of the Building Healthy Communities in Salinas, an instructor at Hartnell College, and staff member of the Monterey County Health Department. 

Juana O. Gomez

Vice President of Human Capital at Frutura

Juana O. Gomez is the Executive Vice President of Human Capital at Frutura, bringing over 30 years of experience in the local agriculture industry. Juana holds an A.S. degree in Accounting from Cabrillo College, a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from San Jose State University, and an MBA from California State University, Monterey Bay. Juana is actively involved in her community, volunteering hundreds of hours with local non-profits, mentoring university students, and serving on the Business Advisory Council at Cal State Monterey Bay. She is an energetic and accomplished professional passionate about children, education, and community, dedicated to identifying and mentoring top-tier talent and inspiring individuals to reach their full potential both inside and outside the workplace.

Stefan Lorch

Monterey Marriott

Stefan Lorch is the general manager at Monterey Marriott and has over 25 years of experience in the global hospitality industry. Before joining Marriott International, Stefan held various hotel and corporate leadership roles with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, leading Rooms & Sustainability for North America, Global Rooms Initiatives and Rooms Operations in Europe, Africa & Middle East. Prior to Starwood, he spent 8 years at Hyatt Hotels in North America. Stefan holds various Swiss Hotel Management degrees and earned his BA in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Washington State University.

Jordan Pratt-Thatcher

Leavitt Group

Jordan Pratt-Thatcher, Commercial Insurance Broker with Leavitt Insurance Group, grew up in Minnesota just outside the twin cities and graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. He also graduated from the “Dale Carnegie Foundations for Success” manager training program for fast-track managerial employees. Jordan serves as co-chair of the UWMC Emerging Leaders Society and has been instrumental in rebuilding the group.

Shannan Watkins

Early Development Services

Shannan Watkins is the executive director of Early Development Services, which operates eight children’s centers from Monterey to Santa Barbara County. She spent eight years as the chair of the Monterey County Child Care Planning Council. Watkins teaches child development courses at Monterey Peninsula College and Hartnell College and also provides consulting services to other child development programs.