Meet Our Team

Ruth leads with empathy. As the Director of Palliative Care and Bereavement at Coastal Kids Home Care, she has the ability to be fully present with patients, their siblings, and caregivers wherever they are in the trajectory of illness or their experience of grief and loss. With more than sixteen years in end-of-life and grief care in Monterey County, she has prioritized training social workers and counselors to respond to the bereavement needs of our community. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Davis, her Master of Social Work from California State University, Sacramento, and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in 2014. Under Heal Together, Ruth will direct clinical outreach, training, and counseling.

Elizabeth is a great communicator. After receiving her BS in Business Administration from CSU Fresno, Elizabeth returned home to Salinas to be near family and find her calling. For the past seven years, she has worked with a local hospice agency where she thrived as a bilingual advocate for underserved communities, especially those in South County. Elizabeth’s ability to listen to and build consensus among individuals of diverse backgrounds ideally places her to lead community outreach efforts and bring quality grief education to Monterey County under Heal Together.

Marlene was born in Salinas and raised in Greenfield. She attended Hartnell College and earned an associate degree in Sociology and transferred to California State University of Monterey Bay (CSUMB) to continue her education and earned an undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Science. Marlene plans to continue her education and become an LCSW. Marlene has always been so passionate about helping families including children, and youth by providing the support they need. Marlene had a brother who battled synovial sarcoma cancer for 11 years and passed away in May 2022. This is how she found out about Heal Together by receiving grief counseling services after her brother passed. In addition, Marlene has volunteered at Holy Trinity Church as a youth mentor where she helped coordinate different activities that included planning youth retreats, and youth group events. Marlene has always loved giving back to the community. Marlene feels that working as an intake coordinator for Heal Together at Coastal Kids Home Care is another amazing way to give back to the community by providing support services to those in need. During her free time, she enjoys traveling, going for nature walks, and spending time with her family.

Yadira was born and raised in Salinas, California, She attended local schools, played in youth sports, and was community oriented. She received her undergraduate degree from San Jose State University in psychology, with a double minor in Chicano/a/x Studies and philosophy. Her passion has always been mental health. She is continuing her education in counseling and hopes to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Yadira wishes to continue supporting her community with services provided by Coastal Kids. In her free time, Yadira likes to travel, attend events, and spend time with her friends and family