Jim Booth

Jim has lived in the Watsonville area for over 20 years and taught swimming to thousands of children and adults in that time. He has served on the Board of the Pajaro Valley Shelter Services and was President of that Board. During his tenure there the Board was very active and raised over half a million dollars. Jim has served on and Chaired the Private Industry Council (PIC now called Workforce Investment Board).

Javier Carrillo

Javier joined the Trust Board of Directors in June 2007. He has worked for the California Diabetes Program since 2005. As the Area Health Promotion Specialist for the Greater Bay Area, Javier works to provide linkages between the California Diabetes Program and health plan/provider groups, healthcare professionals, people with diabetes and community organizations to assist with the implementation of the diabetes care guidelines to improve the lives of those affected by diabetes. Javier earned his Bachelor's degree in Health Science and a Master's of Public Health degree in Health Education & Promotion from California State University, Fresno.

Before joining the Health Trust Board, Javier was an active member of the Trust’s Regional Diabetes Collaborative (RDC) and played an important role in helping to bring grant funding to the RDC from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Diabetes Program.

Cathleen Chandler-Eckhardt

Cathleen has been committed to working with underserved and low-income patients in the Pajaro Valley since 1986. She has a consulting business evaluating and promoting health and well being for individuals. Born and raised in Southern California, Cathleen first worked in a rural health program in Costa Rica. She attended Princeton, then transferred and received a BA in Public Health from University of California at Southern California. She holds an RN degree from Cabrillo and a Family Nurse Practioner/Physician’s Assistant Degree from Stanford. She has also taken undergraduate and graduate classes at San Jose State University in Exercise Physiology. She resides in the area with her husband and twin daughters and enjoys cooking, gardening, ceramics, running, swimming and surfing.

Caroline Eiskamp, Pharm. D.

Caroline has lived in the Watsonville area since 1990, when she joined the pharmacy staff at Watsonville Community Hospital. She worked at WCH for ten years, the last five as Director of Pharmacy Services. Caroline's experience in local healthcare as well as her family business in berry farming give her a unique perspective into both employers and workers' healthcare issues.

Stan Hajduk, M.D.

Dr. Hajduk is a physician in partnership with the Emergency Medical Group at Watsonville Community Hospital. He served on the Watsonville Community Hospital Board of Directors for several years and has been active in the American Heart Association and Rotary. He has lived in the Pajaro Valley for twenty-five years. Dr. Hajduk sees the medical needs of the community first-hand through his work as an emergency services physician. He is very knowledgeable about the details of the hospital sale and the establishment of the new Trust.

Ron Jones

Ron has been a long-time member of the community and a teacher at Watsonville High School for 40 years. He has served on the Board of the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers and is currently on the Watsonville High School Foundation Board. Ron was the Advisor for the Model United Nations team and in that capacity was a successful fundraiser. Ron brings his extensive knowledge of the education community to the Board along with a commitment to now give back to the community that has supported him and his students.

Gerald Kondo, D.D.S

Gerald has operated a private dentistry practice in Watsonville for 28 years during which time he has served on numerous non-profit boards.  He is a founding member of Watsonville Taiko and Kokoro no Gakko, a Japanese Cultural Summer School program.  Dr. Kondo has also served as the presiding board member for the Japanese American Citizens League and the Watsonville Buddhist Temple.  His perspective as a leader within Watsonville's community coupled with his experience as a dentist allow him to offer  guidance for the Trust's Oral Health Prevention and Access funding and advocacy programs.

Tim Koopmans

Tim was raised in the Pajaro Valley and attended local schools, including Hall Elementary, Pajaro Middle School and Watsonville High School. After college Tim settled in Santa Cruz where he began his 30+ year banking career, and, with his wife Holly, raised three children. He is currently a Commercial Banker in Watsonville for First National Bank of Central California. He has been active in his kid's sports, coaching a number of baseball, softball, basketball and soccer teams, and is a former member of Kiwanis and Rotary.

Tim’s decision to join the Health Trust Board was inspired in part because of a family history of diabetes. He wanted to get involved with an organization that supported health care and diabetes prevention education for all in the community. Tim’s knowledge of the Pajaro Valley and his experience in banking and finance make him a tremendous addition to both the Health Trust Board and its Finance Committee.

Angie Martinez

Angie was born and raised in the Pajaro Valley. She attended local schools, including Hall Elementary, Pajaro Middle School and Watsonville High School. She began her college career at Cabrillo, and then transferred to San José State University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Child and Adolescent Development. Angie is currently the administrative assistant for the accounting department at Driscoll’s. She joined the Trust Board in August, 2007 in order to make a further contribution to the community she loves, and to broaden her experience in community service.

David Mesa

David is the Finance Manager for the Monterey County Health Department, and is the county's appointee to the Trust Board. A resident of Prunedale, he has worked in California County government for 24 years, including the counties of Napa, San Benito and Monterey. David will complete a Masters in Public Administration this summer. In his current position, a post he has held since February 1999, he is responsible for the oversight and integrity of the fiscal activities of the Monterey County Health Department's nine divisions. In addition to his Board service, he also serves on the Trust's Finance/Investment Committee.

Richard Otto

Rich is a financial advisor for Edward Jones, which provides financial services for individual investors in the United States with affiliates in Canada and the United Kingdom. Previously, Rich owned his own business as a Life, Health and Long Term Care insurance agent. He has also held senior management and sales positions with IBM, Hitachi, SUN Microsystems and Amdahl. He holds a BA cum laude from Seattle University and a MBA from St. Mary’s College in Moraga.

Rich joined the Community Health Trust Board in November 2007 and is also currently involved with the Watsonville Rotary, the American Legion Post 0419 and the San Jose Fly Casters. He has been a member of the Board of Catholic Business Professionals Association (Santa Clara Diocese) and the Alameda Business Association Farmer’s Market Committee. Rich brings to the Board strong financial and business expertise.

Barbara Palla, M.D.

Dr. Barbara Palla is currently medical consultant to the Santa Cruz Health Improvement Partnership with a focus on improving the transition from hospital to outpatient care for high risk individuals.  From 2000-2007, Dr. Palla served as the Medical Director of the Central Coast Alliance for Health and was responsible for quality oversight, utilization management, and the development of health programs for diabetes, asthma and obesity.  Prior to 2000, she was Medical Director of Santa Clara Family Health Plan, and Chief of Ambulatory Pediatrics at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC).

Dr. Palla, along with husband Larry and son Geoff, runs Meder Street Farms, supplying organic produce to several area restaurants and farmers markets.  They have four grown children, Steve, Mike, Geoff, and Julie.

Antonio R. Rivas

Antonio has spent thirty two years of his professional career in public education, working as an elementary and secondary teacher, a Bilingual Resource Teacher, a School Coordinator, a School Administrator and as a middle and high school counselor. He is a former recipient of the California Counselor of the Year and the Santa Cruz County Teacher of the Year award. He is currently a teacher and Head Counselor with the Salinas Union High School District.

Antonio graduated from San Diego State University with a Masters Degree in Counseling. He also holds credentials in Adult Bilingual – LIFE teaching, Pupil Personnel Services and Administration.

Antonio was elected to the Watsonville City Council in 2002 and elected Mayor in 2005-2006 and again in 2008-2009. He has served on various boards and commissions, including the Santa Cruz County Transportation Commission, the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County Board of Directors, the Intergovernmental Relations Committee board, the Henry J. Mello Joint Powers of Authority, the Pajaro Valley Student Assistance Board of Directors, and is the former President and Vice President of the League of California Cities Monterey Bay Division.

Carlos Rivera

Carlos is an associate attorney with the law firm of Grunsky, Ebey, Farrar & Howell. Carlos received his Bachelors of Science degree in Marketing from Santa Clara University in 1994 and his law degree from San Francisco Law School in 1999. Prior to his employment at the Grunsky law firm, Carlos worked in-house at a commercial property management company where his work involved real estate and business related matters. Carlos practices in the area of litigation and business and real estate transactional matters. As a Watsonville native, joining the Trust organization is a great opportunity for me to give back to a community which has been a memorable part of my life. 

Michele Violich, M.D.

Michele was appointed to the Trust Board by the County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency. She has lived and worked in Watsonville for almost 10 years. Michele is a practicing physician and the Medical Director of the Watsonville Health Center, one of two primary care clinics operated by the County of Santa Cruz. Prior to this, Michele lived 20 years in Venezuela where she worked as a physician in community health care.