Meet our Team

Tiffany DiTullio leads Blue Zones Project^®– Monterey County as the Executive Director. She is a Chief Administrative Officer at Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System (SVMHS), with her oversight specific to community well-being; Blue Zones Project is a natural fit. Tiffany’s focus is engaging community members, creating opportunity for collaboration, and supporting her team in accelerating all of the good work already in motion throughout Monterey County. 

Prior to Blue Zones Project, Tiffany has been an advocate for well-being in her role at SVMHS for 12 years. Overseeing community outreach in areas specific to prevention and wellness programming, Tiffany has had the pleasure of working with local businesses on worksite wellness, launching the Farmers’ Market and Fresh Produce Rx Program at SVMHS, and working closely with volunteers.

My Power 9

Family First! Tiffany believes the “gift of time” is the best gift one can receive and give.

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Clarissa Delgado is the Project Manager for Blue Zones Project® – Monterey County. She engages the team in the development of various projects and process methodologies.

Prior to Blue Zones Project, she worked as a Project Manager for one of Kaiser Permanente’s Population Care Management Departments in Los Angeles. In this role, she thoroughly enjoyed sharing the Plant Slant principle while encouraging healthcare staff and patients to take on a 21-day plant-based challenge.

My Power 9

Downshift. “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Veronica Plascencia joins Blue Zones Project^®– Monterey County as the Senior Marketing Manager. Her focus is to create community-based grassroots marketing strategies and coordinate delivery of supporting materials. Veronica’s previous work as a marketing & sales consultant has helped her identify needs for residents in Monterey County and devise strategies to best reach them. 

Born in Jalisco, Mexico, Veronica moved to the Central Coast when she was 10 years old. While keeping her roots in mind, she joined Blue Zones Project to help bring awareness to our Hispanic community. She is passionate about helping people, but more importantly bringing resources to the community.  

Veronica enjoys traveling, hiking, photographing landscapes in Big Sur, and spending time with her family.

My Power 9

Her favorite Power 9^® are Moving Naturally by hiking the beautiful trails the Central Coast has to offer, and Family First.   

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Kendra Howell is one of the Sr. Policy Leads for Blue Zones Project® – Monterey County, responsible for collaborating with policy partners to establish, implement, and communicate policy priorities and projects in the areas of Tobacco Policy and the Built Environment (e.g., Complete Streets and community development conducive to walking, biking, and transit). 

Kendra has over 30 years of experience representing two high-profile organizations and promoting their missions and messages internally and throughout the community. Still currently with Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Kendra also continues to manage Government Affairs projects. Prior to joining SVMHS, Kendra worked for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in Community Affairs, Marketing, and Special Events. Kendra holds a Master of Public Policy degree from CSUMB/Panetta Institute. 

Kendra always sees the possibility in things, and she finds inspiration in the possibility to transform the well-being of our community through the Blue Zones Project.  

My Power 9

My favorite Power 9® is Downshift, particularly enjoying time with my friends and family to travel to places near and far. My motto is “Work, travel, save, and repeat.” Through travel, you can meet life, and yourself, head-on along the road. 

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Genevieve LeBlanc is the Senior Food Policy Lead for the Blue Zones Project® – Monterey County. She is responsible for the overall effectiveness in generating and accelerating positive changes in the food environment. As part of her role, she collaborates with food systems stakeholders to pursue policies, programs, and projects that improve healthy food access and availability. She also engages grocery stores to support them in adding healthier food and changing their environment to promote healthier options. She works towards creating consistent implementation of food environment projects county-wide. She also sits on the Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) task force with colleagues from different Blue Zones Project communities across the country. 

Genevieve earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University and a master’s degree in Gender, Development, and Globalization from the London School of Economics. She wrote her dissertation on food sovereignty.

My Power 9

I really enjoy Moving Naturally and Plant Slant. One way I combine both is through tending to my garden where I grow most of my vegetables during summer months, and then transform them into delicious plant-based dishes. I also love to hike with my family and friends across Monterey County.

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Griselda Reyes is a proud Salinas native, born and raised in the Salinas Valley. As a young adult, she discovered a passion for helping others in the realm of community health. She received a bachelor’s degree from CSUMB in Collaborative Health & Human Services with a concentration in Community Health, and previously worked in the public health setting providing health education and case management for both the public and private sector, throughout Monterey County. 

Griselda is the Senior Organization Lead for Schools. Her role is to build and develop strong relationships with schools and community partners throughout Monterey County. She helps support schools by implementing evidence-based best practices to become a designated Blue Zones Project Approved™ school, in support of overall community well-being.

My Power 9

My favorite Power 9® is Loved Ones First! Family is everything to me. I have a loving and supportive husband of 20+ years. We are proud parents of two children and recently have become grandparents to a beautiful baby girl. I love spending quality time with my family any chance I get.

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Cindy Ruiz Plascencia joins the Blue Zones Project^®– Monterey County team as the Engagement Lead for Salinas. Her focus is assisting in the planning and coordination of local events, as well as establishing marketing plans and strategizing how to increase engagement and participation within the community.

Cindy was born in Mexico and raised in Monterey County. She went off to study Marketing and received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration — Marketing from California State University, Sacramento and her Master of Science in Marketing from the University of Manchester, England.

My Power 9

Cindy’s favorite Power 9^® is moving naturally, as she loves traveling, and enjoys hiking and running. She also loves trying different foods wherever she goes, specifically plant-based dishes (Plant Slant is her second-favorite Power 9), and downshifting with family and friends.

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Alexis Diaz-Infante was born and raised in Salinas, California. She graduated from Notre Dame High School and received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a concentration in Public Relations from California State University, Sacramento. Prior to Blue Zones Project®, she worked as the Engagement Coordinator for Girl Scouts of Arizona, where she established Girl Scout programs in areas that were not accessible to girls, where economic and volunteer resources were a barrier, and where Girl Scouting was not well known.  

Alexis joins the Blue Zones Project – Monterey County team as the Organization Lead for Schools in Salinas. She is responsible for the successful advancement of the Blue Zones Project in the local market by engaging school districts to implement research-based policies, practices, and projects to improve the well-being of employees, students, and their families. She is very excited about creating new relationships with her neighbors, giving back to her community, and helping improve the well-being of others in Salinas. 

My Power 9

My favorite Power 9® principle is Move Naturally! One of my favorite hobbies is hiking, whether it’s locally in my hometown, or when traveling. My go-to places in Monterey County include Big Sur, Pinnacles National Park, and Fort Ord National Monument. 

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Maribel Roque joins the Blue Zones Project® as the Organization Lead for Worksites and Restaurants. In her role, she works with local businesses to help implement best practices for a healthier, more productive, and happier environment for their workforce, and to make healthier choices easier and more accessible in our community. 

Maribel has over 15 years of experience working in media as a Marketing & Sales Consultant in Monterey County, which allowed her to cultivate and grow strong relationships with local businesses and organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with a concentration in Marketing. Throughout her professional career, she has served on various boards and committees, and as a volunteer to many local organizations.

My Power 9

My Power 9®:  Move Naturally and Downshift. I love that I am minutes away from enjoying a walk at the beach or hike at one of our many beautiful trails. The fresh air and beautiful scenery allow me to downshift, and clear my mind, reset, and feel at peace.  

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Rachel Thompson is the Sr. Events & Office Specialist for Blue Zones Project® – Monterey County. With over a decade of event planning and management experience, she supports the team and community in events across the county. She also manages all three of our county offices. 

Rachel has a Bachelor’s of Science in Apparel Merchandising, Design, and Production from Iowa State University. She worked in the fashion and events industry in NYC after college and then moved to California in 2015 to plan and manage tech events across the country and overseas.

My Power 9

I love spending time with my boyfriend, family, and friends. I also lead retreats, workshops, women’s circles, and yoga classes to bring people together and build meaningful relationships. 

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Tanja Roos joined Blue Zones Project^®– Monterey County as the Community Program Manager supporting the expansion into the Peninsula Cities region. Having grown up on the Monterey Peninsula, with more than 17 years of experience working on behalf of health and well-being in the county, Tanja has a deeply rooted commitment to helping our local communities thrive. In her role, Tanja supports her team in cultivating partnerships with local nonprofits, businesses, community leaders, stakeholder committees, municipalities, grocery stores, restaurants, and schools by utilizing evidence-based practices that improve overall well-being. Tanja also collaboratively works to develop policies that will positively impact the built environment, reduce tobacco use, and increase access to healthy food.

My Power 9

So much in our modern lives is designed to keep us busy and distracted from what actually matters. For me, taking the time to consciously Downshift — whether it is working in my garden, cooking a nourishing meal, hiking with friends, reading a book, or watching the sunset — has become central to my overall health and well-being. Downshifting helps me lead a more integrated and intentional life.

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Katie Morataya-Picazo has joined the Blue Zones Project^®– Monterey County as the Engagement Lead for the Peninsula Cities. She looks forward to working with organizations and people in the community to support them in a multitude of ways as they discover opportunities to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes in environment, policy, and social networks. 

Katie is originally from the Bay Area. She earned her degree in Communication Studies — Mass Media at California State University, Sacramento, as well as a minor in both Marketing and Philosophy. She is currently a candidate for her master’s in public health at the University of San Francisco. Her career background goes from media to health including Entravision, FOX 35, and Community Health Innovations. She moved to Monterey County over 10 years ago and wants to help the community in any way she can. 

Katie enjoys spending time with her family and exploring what Monterey County has to offer. She is excited to continue meeting new people and making connections to improve our community’s well-being. 

My Power 9

Katie’s favorite Power 9^® principles are Downshift and Right Tribe. 

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Paul Ligorski was born and raised in Cross River, New York – a small town that was close enough to travel to Manhattan on a whim, but far enough removed to be surrounded by the forest. He moved to the Monterey peninsula in 2012 and started on a career track that would ultimately bring him to the Blue Zones Project® – an organization that has enabled him to create a unique fusion of his background in hospitality, passion for environmental issues, and customer service skills.  

Paul is thrilled to lead the Blue Zones Project – Peninsula Cities team as the Organization Lead for worksites and schools. He looks forward to making an impact in Monterey, Seaside, and Marina.

My Power 9

My favorite Power 9® is Downshift. Remembering to take time to be focused and present, free of distraction, enables me to live with deeper purpose, and fulfill my creative passions. 

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Ana Acosta joined the Blue Zones Project® as an intern in June 2021, and officially joined the team in December 2021 as the Food Environment Lead for the Peninsula Cities. This role involves working with restaurants and grocery stores, and on food policy. Ana is looking forward to collaborating with these different sectors and working together to make environmental changes that make the healthy choice the easy choice for the community.  

Before working with the Blue Zones Project, Ana worked at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) and played many roles for the Department of Nutrition Services. However, she was inspired to continue working with the community after working as an instructor for CHOMP’s Kids Eat Right Program (KER).

My Power 9

My favorite Power 9® is “Move Naturally.” Monterey County is a beautiful area to live in and has many options for people to spend time outdoors. You can relax at the beach or hit the trails and go on a hike. In my free time you can find me running on the trails or along the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail.   

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Maria Steller is a Monterey County native, born and raised in Big Sur, and later moving to Seaside, California, where she currently resides. Maria began her career working at the City of Seaside, where over the course of 10 years she supported a multitude of programs in the Recreation and Community Services Department. This is where she realized her passion for collaborating with community members in promoting community health.   

She left her position with the City of Seaside to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Collaborative Health & Human Services with an emphasis in Community Health from California State University, Monterey Bay. While completing her undergraduate program, Maria interned with the Monterey County Health Department’s Employee Wellness and Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Programs, where she had the opportunity to focus on education, outreach, and health promotion.

My Power 9

Move Naturally. Maria enjoys spending time hiking the beautiful outdoors of Monterey County.  

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Dalila Alvarado (she/her) joined Blue Zones Project® – Monterey County as the Food Retail Lead. Specifically, Dalila works in collaboration with Monterey South County’s restaurants and grocery stores to make strategic changes that foster a healthier food environment for the community. In addition, Dalila works with local stakeholders to implement equity-driven food policy. 

After graduating from Alisal High School, Dalila went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, Community, and Culture from the University of California, Los Angeles. She then obtained a Master of Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley.

My Power 9

Family First, always. 

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Melissa Alvarez joined Blue Zones Project® – Monterey County as the Engagement Lead for Gonzales and King City. She is responsible for developing and executing strategies to maximize community engagement. 

She and her family moved to Monterey County in 2019, instantly falling in love with its community. She familiarized herself with the area by working for Monterey County as a 911 Emergency Communications Dispatcher.

My Power 9

To “Move Naturally” is Melissa’s Power 9®. She enjoys taking walks, hiking, and participating in all outdoor sports. Most recently, she found a passion for snowboarding and river rafting, but most of all she loves to travel and explore. 

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