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. 

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. 

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.  

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.   

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. 

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.