Leadership Monterey County

Leadership Monterey County’s Cohort’s aperture of understanding of Homeland Security was magnified during its visit to two world-renowned installations, the Presidio of Monterey and the Naval Post Graduate School (NPS), both located in our county’s backyard. The Cohort kicked off Defense and Security Day at the Presidio, an active US Army installation, and had the honor of meeting with Garrison Commander Col. Varman Chhoeung to discuss the Presidio’s history, the Defense Lang...uage Institute (DLI), and the Presidio Municipal Services Agency (PMSA). The Presidio has a symbiotic relationship with the Cities of Monterey and Seaside through the Presidio Municipal Services Agency (PMSA). The US Army contracts with PMSA for municipal services, such as building maintenance, street maintenance, sewer and water line maintenance, storm drain maintenance, and other special projects. This saves the Presidio approximately 22% annually in costs, results in the timely implementation of projects, and provides jobs to our city employees. At the Naval Postgraduate School, the Cohort was enthusiastically welcomed by a host of high-ranking officials, including President Ann Rondeau and Air Warfare Chair Navy Capt. Ed McCabe. President Rondeau and other speakers left the Cohort with many empowering and wise tenets, including: leaders make a difference, be willing to take calculated risks and to fail, question assumptions, take advantage of our intellectual capital, and the best way to win a war is to never have the war. The Cohort toured the beautifully landscaped property where the buildings and grounds summon a sense of history, strength, and purpose. Wrapping up the day in discussion with Hans Uslar, City Manager of Monterey, the Cohort learned about Monterey Bay Defense Alliance, a membership-based nonprofit organization committed to enhancing, growing, and protecting the national security assets in the Monterey Bay Area. It was a highly impressive day and LMC is grateful for the opportunity to get an insider’s view as to what is happening behind those security gates.

The Leadership Monterey County cohort kicked off their South County Day fueled by Aera Energy’s dynamic team who shared their vision for safety and commitment to environmental stewardship and community outreach. Aera Energy is one of California’s leading energy companies, the 4th largest taxpayer in Monterey County, an employer to more than 100 employees and contractors in San Ardo, and LMC’s generous sponsor of the day. A visit to the Agricultural and Rural Life Museum, a be...autiful, family-friendly location to consider visiting for a few hours or renting for many different types of functions, inspired the LMC group to celebrate Salinas Valley’s significant contributions to the agricultural industry - both locally and globally. The LMC Cohort wrapped up its day with a Behind the Barrels Tour at Scheid Vineyards led by an esteemed wine maker followed by warm hospitality and wine tasting while listening to South County Supervisor Chris Lopez passionately and humbly share his vision for growth along the South County Corridor. A toast to South County for its diverse and notable contributions to Monterey County and beyond. See more

On August 27th, the LMC Cohort participated in Education Day and received an A+ curriculum. Highlights of the day included visits to: CSUMB, where we had the distinct honor of hearing directly from President Eduardo Ochoa about one of Monterey County’s leading employers with a community spending impact of $133M. CSUMB is a dynamic and innovative collegiate institution offering a wealth of unique programs, including Bright Futures, a program led by Director Cynthia Holmsky, de...signed to ensure that every child is prepared for school, succeeds in and out of school, completes a post-high school credential, and enters a promising career. The Salinas Adult School, where we were welcomed and educated by Director Tatiana Roganova. SAS has played a prominent role in promoting adult education in the Salinas area for more than 100 years, and offers programs in ESL, Parent Education, Adult Secondary Education, and more. Monterey County Office of Education, where we heard first-hand from Superintendent Dr. Deneen Guss and her team about their strategic roadmap that addresses long-standing inequities to create more inclusive and engaging learning environments and close opportunity gaps. The MCOE represents 24 districts with more than 75,000 K-12 students. Monterey Peninsula College, where we heard from several Deans, faculty, and students about MPC’s outstanding programs. MPC is almost free for first-time, full-time students. Classes are taught by top industry professionals and help students achieve a certificate, gain life skills, and/or earn an associate degree. Their Ready to Work program prepares students who are just starting out in the workforce or who plan to take their career to the next level.

The LMC cohort enjoyed a full day of art, history, and culture on Friday, July 23rd. Gems included a visit to the Sunset Center in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Central Coast’s premier performing arts organization, complete with a visit on stage where we got to see from a different perspective the 718 seated auditorium and learned about its rich history and influence on local, national, and international artisans. The cohort walked several streets admiring Carmel’s temporary exhibit, T...he Heart of Carmel. The 3D fiberglass hearts spread throughout Carmel Village were painted by select artists and will be auctioned off to benefit local philanthropic efforts. At the Carmel Art Association, founded in 1927, Carmel’s oldest gallery, the group saw the works of more than 100 professional local artists. The pieces are for sale and the exhibitions change monthly. Next up was a meet and greet at the Carmel Shell, a mural located on the corner of Mission Street and Sixth Avenue, that honors the town’s heritage as an arts colony, and where the artist, Marie-Clare Treseder Gorham, shared her vision of solidarity in the Village. The cohort next made its way to the National Steinbeck Center where they were inspired by the exhibits that showcase John’s dedication to the human condition. The cohort finished the day with a truly historic view at the Monterey County Historical Society where the artifacts, tapestries, and buildings tell a deep story. We are grateful to all the hosts who are passionate about their organizations and who so willingly share of their knowledge.

June 25th was Infrastructure Day where we saw first hand how our county organizations are making ground-breaking contributions to everyday challenges. We started the day with a less is more educational review from Tim Flanagan, GM of the Monterey Regional Water Management District (MRWMD), before taking a guided tour of their state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility. In 2019, MRWMD impressively diverted more than 50% of the 472K tons of material that they received. Next, ...we visited Monterey One Water, the sewer treatment provider in northern Monterey County that serves more than 250K residents and 7K businesses by cleaning our wastewater and safely reintroducing it into the environment. We traveled to the Monterey Regional Airport where we learned from Mike La Pier, ED of the Monterey Peninsula Airport District, and Matt Wright, GM of Monterey Jet Center, about what make these non incorporated entities economic engines for Monterey County and the Central Coast Region of California. They operate with an entrepreneurial mindset, but have a big and positive impact. Last but certainly not least, Todd Muck, Deputy ED, of the Transportation Agency for Monterey County, educated us on countless multi-modal projects that our county has embarked upon, including plans to improve safety and congestion along HWY 68, US 101 South of Salinas improvements, and the Fort Ord Regional Trail & Greenway (FORTAG), part of a larger effort to connect communities in and around the former Fort Ord to each other and to education, employment, community, and recreation centers. It was a full day of inspiration and education presented to us by people who are committed to providing solutions to challenges faced by Monterey County residents. See more

And... we're back! LMC participants were so happy to pick up where we left off, and attend class in person again! Agriculture Day was held on May 21st. We visited with Steve Ish at Taylor Farms, where we toured the production plant, and learned about Taylor's innovative food safety programs, generous community involvement and automation in the Ag industry. At Lowell Farms, Kelly McMillan provided an eye-opening tour of the cannabis company, showing us the grow operations... and cultivation process. He shared some of the challenges in this expanding industry, including illegal market competition. Last, but not least, Mike Avila of Avila Construction provided an opportunity to see recent Farm Worker Housing developments aimed at providing affordable housing to field workers who come to Salinas to perform critically important work for the Ag industry. Overall, a very educational and informative day! Next up... Infrastructure Day! See more

Thanks for the shout-out Monterey County Supervisor Luis A. Alejo! Our class loved having you and Supervisor Chris Lopez discuss the issues you're both working on countywide!

Hospitality Day on February 28... our day started at the Monterey Marriott where we met with Rene Boskoff, General Manager and Rob O'Keefe, Interim President & CEO of Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau. We discussed the role and funding of the MCCVB, and all of the efforts by leaders in the hospitality industry to ensure the successful completion of the Monterey Conference Center. Doug Philips and Nancy Whitman provided a tour of the Monterey Conference Center. ... The next stop of our day took us to Cannery Row, where we met with Teddy Balestreri and Gary Cursio to learn about the history of Cannery Row and challenges to recruiting and retaining a workforce in our area. The day ended with a tour and discussion with Julie Weaver, General Manager at the Pebble Beach Company, and Dawn Mathes, Director of Environmental and Government Affairs. Topics of discussion included the newly constructed employee housing, as well as water solutions and sustainability efforts at the resort. Thank you to Coniglio Brother's Italian Deli for the delicious lunch! Next stop... Non Profit Day! #leadersrock

Can you tell they are excited!?! #day1 #hospitality #getonthebus #leaders

Congratulations to the graduates of the 2019 Leadership Monterey County class on your successful completion of the 10-month long program! Thank you to Tanimura & Antle for hosting our graduation celebration! Our last class day focused on the Agricultural industry. At Grupo Flor, a multi-national cannabis business based in Salinas, Mike Bitar, co-founder, gave us an insightful tour of the dispensary and behind the scenes operations of the company. We discussed the legal chal...lenges faced by cannabis companies, and the growth of the cannabis industry. At Taylor Farms, we put on our white coats and hard hats in order tour their innovative production facility. Our last stop took us to Tanimura & Antle, where we had a chance to see Spreckels Crossing, the amazing farmworker housing built by the company to provide safe, clean housing for their employees. John Louie from PlantTape discussed their revolutionary automated transplanting system, which is aimed at increasing efficiency and productivity for farmers. Applications are now being accepted for the Class of 2020! https://www.leadershipmc.org/

Infrastructure and Environment Day began at the Monterey Regional Waste Management District, where we discussed community issues surrounding garbage disposal, recycling programs, composting and Organics to Energy, the program that allows the energy value of organic materials to be harvested prior to composting. An educational tour of the MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) allowed us to see first-hand the process of sorting recycled materials. Next stop: Monterey One Water to... learn about water challenges and solutions from Paul Sciuto, General Manager, and Gary Petersen of Salinas Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency. Here we witnessed the process of wastewater treatment and recycling of water to be used as irrigation for local crops, thereby limiting the advancement of seawater intrusion. At the Monterey Regional Airport District, we met with Mike LaPier, Executive Director, who shared plans for future upgrades and expansion at the airport. Todd Muck, Deputy Executive Director of the Transportation Agency for Monterey County boarded our bus and took us on a guided tour of several current and future TAMC projects throughout the county! What a treat! See more

Can you tell they are excited!?! #day1 #hospitality #getonthebus #leaders

Congratulations to the 2020 Leadership Monterey County Participants! We're excited to have you in this year's LMC Program! Albert Sanchez, California Water Service Anna Velazquez, Senator Anna Caballero's Office Arthur Curtright, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office... Britt Avrit, City of Carmel Chris Grado, Edward Jones Danny Warner, Salinas Police Department David Wood, Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula Evelina LaMonda, Monterey Bay PTAC Heidi Quinn, DeLay & Laredo Law Ikuyo Yoneda-Lopez, Monterey Salinas Transit James Arensdorf, Salinas Police Department Jeana Arnold, PG&E Jennifer Ferguson, Natividad Medical Center John Gill, Monterey County DSS Jose Acosta, Housing Authority County of Monterey Katie Hogan, City of Salinas Kristin Skromme, Waste Management Lacey Raak, CSUMB Madison Meeks, Credit Consulting Services Manny Escarcega, Bay Federal Credit Union Marco Camarena, County of Monterey Maria Cambron, Downtown Streets Team Marieke Desmond, Mighty Slingshot Mike Richardson, Naval Postgraduate School Pamela Venegas, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System Patricia Hernandez, Monterey County of Social Services Shaun Simmons, Community Hospital of Monterey Peninsula Stefania Castillo, Transportation Agency for Monterey County Tammy Weber, Natividad Medical Center TJ Plew, Salinas Valley Fair See more

Deadline to apply for the 2020 Class is TODAY! Message us if you, or someone you work with is interested! Application is here:... www.leadershipmc.org See more

Congratulations to the graduates of the 2019 Leadership Monterey County class on your successful completion of the 10-month long program! Thank you to Tanimura & Antle for hosting our graduation celebration! Our last class day focused on the Agricultural industry. At Grupo Flor, a multi-national cannabis business based in Salinas, Mike Bitar, co-founder, gave us an insightful tour of the dispensary and behind the scenes operations of the company. We discussed the legal chal...lenges faced by cannabis companies, and the growth of the cannabis industry. At Taylor Farms, we put on our white coats and hard hats in order tour their innovative production facility. Our last stop took us to Tanimura & Antle, where we had a chance to see Spreckels Crossing, the amazing farmworker housing built by the company to provide safe, clean housing for their employees. John Louie from PlantTape discussed their revolutionary automated transplanting system, which is aimed at increasing efficiency and productivity for farmers. Applications are now being accepted for the Class of 2020! https://www.leadershipmc.org/

Infrastructure and Environment Day began at the Monterey Regional Waste Management District, where we discussed community issues surrounding garbage disposal, recycling programs, composting and Organics to Energy, the program that allows the energy value of organic materials to be harvested prior to composting. An educational tour of the MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) allowed us to see first-hand the process of sorting recycled materials. Next stop: Monterey One Water to... learn about water challenges and solutions from Paul Sciuto, General Manager, and Gary Petersen of Salinas Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency. Here we witnessed the process of wastewater treatment and recycling of water to be used as irrigation for local crops, thereby limiting the advancement of seawater intrusion. At the Monterey Regional Airport District, we met with Mike LaPier, Executive Director, who shared plans for future upgrades and expansion at the airport. Todd Muck, Deputy Executive Director of the Transportation Agency for Monterey County boarded our bus and took us on a guided tour of several current and future TAMC projects throughout the county! What a treat! See more

LMC class 2019 collecting donations for Gathering For Women #giveback #nonprofit #dogood

More news from The Plastic Pickup!

Nonprofit Day... the day began with Katy Castagna, President & CEO of United Way Monterey County, as she shared an overview of the nonprofit sector and provided us with details of the Impact Monterey County survey being conducted. We visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s newly constructed Bechtel Family Center for Ocean Education and Leadership, which provides staffled experiences for all school groups at no cost, and is an investment in the next wave of ocean leaders (our y...outh). Our next stop took us to The Gathering for Women, a caring community where homeless women can get a hot meal, free clothing, emergency assistance and other vital services. Discussion focused on the challenges to providing services and shelter to the homeless population in our county. We traveled to the Chinatown neighborhood in Salinas where we encountered a tent community of homeless living on the streets, and met with MidPen Housing to discuss the affordable housing currently under construction in that neighborhood. At the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County, we met with Ron Johnson, President & CEO, and his staff, whose focus is to inspire and empower young people in our communities to become responsible, healthy, productive citizens. We discussed the success of their programs, including after school education and activities, such as art and music programs, and the impact they have made on so many youth and families in the county. See more

Proud to have 2018 graduate, Clint Cowden, featured in this article on the advances of education and technology at Hartnell College.

Our travels this month took the Leadership class to the Southern-most part of Monterey County, to San Ardo, where we visited the oil fields at Aera Energy. The cohort was treated to a discussion about the oil industry’s economic impact in our community, and the process of finding and drilling for oil, as well as Aera's commitment to protecting people and the environment. A tour in the oil field while wearing our safety goggles and hard hats, near a newly constructed pumping... unit, was a highlight of the morning. We then traveled to the Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum in King City and discovered an amazing collection of agricultural related implements and historical objects related to our local history. A short film, narrated by local farmers and historians, provided a wealth of information about the history and importance of irrigation and water management in our county. The last part of our day was spent at Scheid Vineyards with Marta Kraftzeck, 35+ year wine industry veteran and the first woman winemaker in Monterey County. Marta gave us a tour of Scheid’s impressive wine making facility and educated us on the intricacies of the wine making process. County Supervisor Chris Lopez joined us in the tasting room to share his thoughts on the issues he is passionate about in District 3, including early childhood education, safe roads, fair, equitable and accessible housing and economic development. Thank you to Aera Energy for sponsoring our day! See more

Our goal on Healthcare Day was to educate the cohort about the world-class resources available and issues that our residents face in Monterey County. Our day started with an informative tour and discussion of Montage Wellness Center in Marina, where members of our community exercise in a very welcoming environment. We spent time with Dr. Steven Packer, President/CEO of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, who shared details of the cost of healthcare, the Aspire Hea...lth plan and the importance of preventative care. Next, we visited with Adrienne Laurent, Chief Strategic Communications Officer, at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, where we were treated to a tour and a discussion about the population served, internships available for emerging medical professionals and the growth planned at the hospital. We also learned about Blue Zones Project, a new healthy living initiative that is a collaboration between Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Taylor Farms and Montage Health. At Natividad Medical Center, we ended our day with Andrea Rosenberg, Assistant Administrator, who educated us on the complicated issues operating as a public safety-net hospital that is owned and operated by Monterey County, as well as details about their Level II Trauma Center and affiliation with UC San Francisco. See more

Always love meeting & sharing thoughts with Leadership Monterey County participants! #LovingMontereyCounty

On Government and Law day, the cohort was excited about the opportunity to meet with County Supervisors John Phillips and Luis Alejo. We discussed important issues happening in each of their districts. We then took a tour of the Salinas Police department, where the Chief of Police Adele Frese educated us about the efforts of her team, especially the Violence Suppression Unit which is focused on reducing gang-related crime. District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni discussed the r...ole of her department, and the methods her team uses to prosecute cases in our county. We ended the day with an informative discussion with Seaside City Mayor Ian Oglesby and King City Mayor Mike Lebarre about issues that impact their cities, such as the need for low income housing, homelessness and the creation of additional local jobs. Thank you to our class day sponsor Fenton & Keller Law Firm. See more