March is Women’s History Month, an annual observance meant to highlight the contributions of women in history and contemporary society. From trailblazing leaders and innovators to artists and activists, women have shaped our world in powerful and lasting ways.
In keeping with the 2026 theme, “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) celebrates the work of the countless women who are reimagining and rebuilding systems to ensure long-term improvements — environmental, economic, educational, and societal — across our region.
“Women’s contributions deserve recognition,” said Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) President & CEO Tahra Goraya. “These women are true leaders and trailblazers for what they have achieved, for how they collaborate to affect change, and for how they uplift others along the way.”
The following are a small sampling of the many extraordinary leaders shaping our region through their involvement with MBEP member organizations or MBEP initiatives.
Women to celebrate/watch:
CLIMATE/SUSTAINABILITY
Alba Forns: As Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Climatize, an investment platform that makes it a snap to invest in renewable energy projects, Forns is helping to change the landscape of energy transition investment. Since 2023, Climatize’s funding portal has mobilized over $15,000,000 for vetted clean-energy and climate infrastructure projects.
EDUCATION
Becca Fenwick: As co-founder and director of UC Santa Cruz CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research (CIDER), Fenwick brings together students, researchers, and industry partners from many sectors to fuel research and innovation and develop a diverse drone workforce. A California Jobs First grant-funded initiative, Drones Uplifting California Communities (DUCC), will prepare high school and community college educators to train future drone pilots and equip them to incorporate drones into their existing classes, while supporting students with FAA licensing and entrepreneurship support.
Vanya Quiñones: CSU Monterey Bay’s fourth president since 2022, Quiñones is a neurobiologist, biopsychologist, and noted researcher who has published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles. Her 30-plus-year career spans scientific research, academic administration, program- and research-focused fundraising, student success, and diversity in the arts and sciences. She led the university through a period of growth, achieving a nearly 30% rise in enrollment growth, expanding opportunities, guidance and clear pathways, including adding more experiential learning opportunities and implementing an institutional mentor program for all undergraduates. Under her leadership, the university also improved its budget outlook and increased research funding and philanthropic giving. A current member of the MBEP Board of Directors, Quiñones leaves CSUMB this summer to become the first Latina president of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY
Sarasina Tuchen: With more than 35 years of experience in both private industry and federal government, Tuchen is senior scientist emeritus at the U.S. Department of Transportation Highly Automated Systems Safety Center of Excellence (HASS COE). She led automation strategy for the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Interagency Working Group and has played a pivotal role in shaping the AAM National Strategy. A resident of Monterey County, she now serves as an advisor to MBEP’s CAAMCI initiative and serves on the boards of several regional nonprofits. To empower and equip the next generation of innovators, she has created “Mighty Tails,” a K-5 series that encourages young learners to “imagine, experiment, and take flight in the emerging advanced air mobility ecosystem.”
HOSPITALITY
Paige P. Viren: As Executive Director of the Sustainable Hospitality & Tourism Management Program at CSU Monterey Bay’s College of Business, Paige P. Viren, Ph.D., is shaping the next generation of hospitality professionals and the future of California’s tourism industry. A former travel agent and adventure travel guru, she is an accomplished leader in the sustainable tourism field. In 2024, she was appointed to the California Travel Association (CalTravel) Board of Directors and Chair of CalTravel’s Sustainability & Stewardship Committee. Her contributions to the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) have shaped the definition of adventure travel, and she has collaborated with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to develop global climate action strategies in tourism.
HOUSING
Linda Mandolini: As president and CEO of Eden Housing, Mandolini leads one of California’s oldest and most successful non-profit housing development organizations. She has served on the boards of a wide range of housing policy organizations and has had a pivotal role in creating new funding sources for housing, from her advocacy for the passage of California Housing bonds that collectively generated $10 billion for housing, to her collaboration with Monterey Bay Economic Partnership and Housing Trust Silicon Valley to create the Monterey Bay Housing Trust, a revolving loan fund that has resulted in over 1,200 homes built in our region.
Diane Coward: As co-founder and CEO of REVision West, Coward oversees a design and development company focused on serving the Central Coast’s growing need for attainable workforce-level housing that encompasses the principles of regenerative communities. She has over 20 years in leadership positions in the non-profit sector as well as a strong commitment to social justice, smart growth, and equity.
CREATIVE ECONOMY
Jennifer Laine: Executive Director of the San Benito County Arts Council since 2010, she has raised millions of dollars in arts funding for her rural community. In 2025, the San Benito County Arts Council, in partnership with the Arts Council for Monterey County and the Arts Council Santa Cruz County, was awarded a workforce development grant as part of the Catalyst funding via California Jobs First Initiative. The tri-county partnership will use Catalyst funding to identify and develop workforce pathways for visual and performing arts teachers in San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties.
CHILDCARE/EARLY LEARNING
Francine Rodd: As executive director of First 5 Monterey County (F5MC) since January 2004, Rodd has championed early childhood as a top priority. By advocating for investment, promoting child-friendly policies and practices, and funding quality, coordinated programs, F5MC has supported over 600,000 children and families. She is a past member of MBEP’s board of directors, and a member of the Regions Rise Together Coordinating Committee.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
Maria Cadenas: A champion of economic prosperity for rural Latine working class families, Maria Cadenas serves as Executive Director of Ventures, a nonprofit that builds community wealth by partnering with rural Latino working-class families on the Central Coast to implement transformational programs that ensure a shared and prosperous economic future for all. From building savings to advocating for a living wage, that approach connects financial stability, wealth building, and self-determination. Last year, Ventures was a grantee of Uplift Catalyst funding, and Ventures was among the Regions Rise Together collaborative project partners that helped shape the 5-year Investment Blueprint for the region.
Sarait Martinez: The daughter of Zapoteco Indigenous farmworkers, Martinez started her organizing career as a community outreach worker and now serves as executive director at Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño (CBDIO), which works to build power in the Indigenous farmworker communities of the Central Coast and the Central Valley. Her trailblazing advocacy is creating greater awareness of the needs of Indigenous and farmworker communities. This month, CBDIO released “Dignity in the Fields,” a new report in conjunction with the UC Santa Cruz Institute for Social Transformation, detailing declining legal, economic, and housing conditions for farmworkers. CBDIO was also a project partner in the Regions Rise Together collaborative.
AGRICULTURE
Teresa Matsui: As president and CEO of Matsui Nursery since 2015, Matsui is an accomplished board member and CEO whose expertise spans the agriculture, consumer perishables, commercial banking, real estate investment, and hospitality industries. She steers a pioneering company that grows millions of orchids in 2.4 million square feet of Salinas Valley greenhouses each year. As one of the largest orchid growers in the world, Matsui Farms pioneered the nation’s first grocery retail program. While her company makes the world a more beautiful place, it’s also making it a better one: Matsui Farms is a significant employer in the region and a philanthropic force through its Matsui Foundation, funding millions of dollars in scholarships for underserved Monterey County students.
Jackie Cruz: In her role as Vice President of Advancement at Hartnell College and executive director of the Hartnell College Foundation, Dr. Cruz has led impactful initiatives that bridge the gap between education, industry, and the community. Through her work, Cruz has helped increase access to higher education and created new opportunities for students, including the Salinas Valley Promise and the Women’s Education and Leadership Institute (WELI). She has been a project partner in Regions Rise Together, Uplift Catalyst, SIEDI, and advisory roles with Reservoir Farms, and Digital NEST.
About Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP): Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP) is a regional member-supported nonprofit organization consisting of public, private, and civic entities located throughout the counties of Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz. Founded in 2015, our mission is to improve the economic health and quality of life in the region.