Board of Directors
Salinas Valley Health Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, November 21, 2024 at 4:00pm
450 East Romie Lane
Salinas Valley Health Downing Resource Center
(lower level of the parking garage)
Salinas Valley Health has a five-member, publicly-elected Board of Directors.
Read 2023 Annual Board Report in
English here and
Spanish here.
Elected Board Members
VICTOR REY JR. – PRESIDENT
ZONE 2
Seated December 4, 2020 - December 6, 2024
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.
Email: VRey@SalinasValleyHealth.com
JOEL HERNANDEZ LAGUNA - VICE PRESIDENT
ZONE 5
Seated July 23, 2020 – December 2, 2026
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.
Email: JHernandezl@SalinasValleyHealth.com
ROLANDO CABRERA, MD - SECRETARY
ZONE 1
Seated December 2, 2022 - December 6, 2026
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.
Email: rcabrera@SalinasValleyHealth.com
JUAN CABRERA - TREASURER
ZONE 3
Seated December 4, 2020 - December 6, 2024
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.
During the pandemic, Juan assisted with COVID outreach for people employed in the agricultural industry, including on farms and at salad packaging plants.
Juan’s previous experience includes teaching high school math and social studies. He was head wrestling coach at Alisal High School in Salinas, CA and is a longtime supporter of G-Style Wrestling – a program that develops the talent of local youth while teaching life skills to build positive habits.
Juan graduated from UC Davis with a business major and focus in agricultural and managerial economics.
Email: jcabrera@SalinasValleyHealth.com
CATHERINE CARSON - ASSISTANT TREASURER
ZONE 4
Seated December 2, 2022 - December 6, 2026
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.
Email: Ccarson@SalinasValleyHealth.com
Salinas Valley Health District Map
