Lisa Stewart

President

Lisa Stewart is a professor of social work who has worked in the behavioral health sector for over 25 years. Her research is funded by the CDC/National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and is focused on the health, equity, and inclusion of vulnerable workers. She currently heads up the myChoice Project, which aims to develop a workplace disclosure decision aid, resources, and action plan for parents of children with mental health disabilities. She is a mother of two beautiful daughters and has been raising her daughters in Salinas. Lisa finds joy in long walks along the beaches and in the hills that surround her. She can also be found riding her bike or walking her dog Georgie along the dirt trails in Ford Ord.

Melissa Lopez Schwartz

Secretary

When asked to describe Melissa by multiple people, there was a vast variety of answers that boiled down to “caring”. Melissa started her maternal journey at a young age that pushed her into the powerful woman that she is today. Her motherhood has created a young, adult daughter who is aware and open to her mental health and a son who is able to express his emotions at a young age of 4. Her kind hearted and soothing personality welcomes all who struggle. Melissa is aware of her own mental health struggles and perseveres through the help of others and is continually learning strategies to share with others. Even though mental health needs to be addressed, Melissa is more complex. Melissa is an adult with the heart of a child. She expresses her love for nature and all that Earth has to offer. Her family is her comfort and fantasy and science fiction are her escape. Her background in psychology, environmental science, child development, and social justice has been utilized to support families and children from infancy through adulthood.

Melissa chose to serve on the PCMC board after having been a recipient of the compassionate support provided by the awesome postpartum group facilitators at Parent’s Place. She knows first hand the importance of Maternal Mental Health Services and believes in the power that family support systems provide.

Jade Lacuata

Treasurer

Hello There! I am Jade Lacuata and I am a banker at Santa Cruz County Bank in Salinas. I have worked in banking for 15 years and in 2016, I made the move to work in local community banking and have not turned back! I knew that being involved in the community was going to be an important direction for me to go in because our community is near and dear to my heart. I was born and raised and still live in Salinas today and I am a proud mother to my almost 5 year old daughter, Juliana. Raising her has been the greatest experience! I attended a Birth Fair when I was a new parent and was so amazed to find a community of people who were in the same life stage as me. PCMC is such a great resource for new parents and even the most experienced parents to have access to and I am proud to be able to bring awareness to PCMC through my role in the bank and as a local parent.

Stephanie McMurtrie

Board Member

Stephanie holds an Adjunct Faculty position at California State University, Monterey Bay in the Health, Human Services and Public Policy Department. Additionally, she provides consulting services with a focus on improving health outcomes through program management, data analysis and community engagement. Stephanie received a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo (Magna Cum Laude), and a Master of Health Science Degree, with a concentration in Reproductive, Perinatal and Women’s Health, from the Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland. Stephanie is the mother of two elementary age children.  The support she received after the birth of her second child was instrumental in helping her through postpartum depression and anxiety.

Kody Fudenna , DC

Board Member

Dr. Kody Fudenna, DC is a 4th generation Japanese-American born and raised in Salinas. Kody went to Salinas High School where he played golf, soccer, football and ran cross country.  He received his Bachelor’s Degree from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and his Doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic, West.  Dr. Kody enjoys specializing in sports injuries, disc injuries, pregnancy related conditions among others. He enjoys camping and going to the beach with his wife and two kids.

Relindis Diaz

Board Member

Relindis Lorie Diaz is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has a number of specialties in the field of mental health.  She is Endorsed in the State of California as an Infant, Family, Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist and a Reflective Practice Facilitator.  She has extensive experience in working with children and Families from diverse backgrounds.  She is certified in Child Parent Psychotherapy which is an evidence-based practice for addressing trauma for children and their families.  She facilitates workshops in a variety of venues on a variety of topics relevant to families who have experienced trauma and the service providers who support them. She is currently the Manager for the Monterey County Behavioral Health Program that serves children 0-5 and their families after trauma.

Carlos Perales

Board Member

Carlos Perales is currently a Homeless and Foster Youth Liaison for the Salinas Union High School District. In his role he supports the needs of the homeless students and foster youth and ensures the delivery of mandated services. Carlos is also a Family Coach for Partners for Peace where he empowers families to find good relationships with their children. Carlos was born in Peru and was raised in Salinas. His passion and care for the community has long lived within him since a young child and still lives with him in the work he does. Has previously worked for the Alisal Union School District and worked for non-profits organizations like Community Human Services and Special Kids Connect, among others in the goal of educating parents in understanding community resources and services. Outside of his work life Carlos enjoys playing volleyball, walking at the beach and traveling.

Ana González

Board Member

Ana González was born and raised in the Salinas Valley by a farm-working family. She attended North County High School in Castroville and was the first in her family to attend college. She earned a Bachelor of International Relations from Stanford University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Golden Gate University. She is currently the Director of the Soledad Education Center for Hartnell College focusing on providing access to higher education for nontraditional students including English language learners and students impacted by the carceral system.
Melissa chose to serve on the PCMC board after having been a recipient of the compassionate support provided by the awesome postpartum group facilitators at Parent’s Place. She knows first hand the importance of Maternal Mental Health Services and believes in the power that family support systems provide.

Hope Griffin-Ortiz

Board Member

Hope Griffin-Ortiz has worked with pregnant and parenting families of birth-to-five-year-olds for over 30 years, in direct practice, mental health consultation to preschools, facilitating parent-infant play groups, and currently supervises a team through Monterey County Children’s Behavioral Health who serve this same population. This is her first experience being on a board and it is with great pleasure and motivation that she joins this amazing group of dedicated staff to support the work of PCMC. The mission and vision of PCMC is essential toward growing a healthy, thriving, de-stigmatized community where all pregnant and parenting people know they are not alone and have places and people to turn to during this vulnerable time in their development.

Rebeca Zuniga

Board Member

​Rebeca is deeply committed to supporting children and families on the Central Coast. She believes that building a thriving community starts with ensuring every child has the opportunity to grow up healthy and strong.

As the Communications and Outreach Coordinator for First 5 Monterey County, Rebeca feels privileged to witness the powerful journey of parents growing alongside their children—a truly rewarding aspect of her work. She takes pride in capturing and sharing inspiring stories that uplift families and foster community connection.

Born and raised in Salinas, Rebeca’s passion for serving children and families began at a young age. Now a proud mother to an adventurous elementary-aged son, she cherishes their time exploring and traveling together.

Rebeca’s dedication to maternal mental health stems from her own experience navigating postpartum depression. Her journey fuels her advocacy and reminds her of the resilience and strength within every parent.

Stephanie Kathan

Board Member

Stephanie Kathan is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at CSU Monterey Bay. Her research focuses on the relationships between parents of young children and facilitators of early childhood interventions. Stephanie believes in the strength of relationships and community for supporting pregnant people and parents of young children. She decided to join the PCMC board to assist the development of local community support for pregnant people and parents of young children. She also researches the needs of university survivors of sexual violence. Outside of work, Stephanie can be found walking her dog Pepperoncini, hiking, or traveling to visit her nieces and nephews.