Grant Writing and Compliance Specialist 

Ariana Miranda is a Fresno State alumna with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Criminology. Experienced in working with families and children. Enthusiastic about reading and music, always eager to learn and grow both personally and professionally. 

Domestic Violence Case Manager

Socorro Ruiz has been at the YWCA Monterey county for 15 years. She started as an on-call office assistance and currently a Domestic Violence Case Manager. She has played many rolls at the YWCA Monterey county at one point she was the office manager, Legal case manager and Legal Advocate. She enjoys her job and loves to help others. She loves spending her weekends with her family at her children’s soccer games.

Clinical Social Worker

Veronica is a Registered Associate Clinical Social Worker. Veronica is a first-generation alumna from Cal State University, Monterey Bay with a Master's in Social Work. Veronica joined our team as an intern with the YWCA MC’s counseling department providing therapy services to victims of domestic violence before taking on her role as the Lead Domestic Violence Advocate at the confidential Domestic Violence Shelter Program and is now the Clinical Social Worker. She enjoys working with families and children in her community. On her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Housing Services Manager

Paola Chavez was born and raised in Salinas, CA. Paola has six years of experience working in our community with vulnerable populations, tackling the complexity of social issues and bringing awareness to systemic changes that can ultimately improve the quality of life.

Housing Retention Specialist

Montzerat Flores. I first joined the YWCA as a DV advocate at our shelters and now I’m part of the housing program team as the housing retention specialist. I went to school at Hartnell College and earned my associate’s degree in Sociology and then transferred to UC Davis and received my bachelor’s degree in Sociology and minored in Psychology. I have experience working in preventative programs for youth and property management. I love animals and have a total of seven animals at home.

Domestic Violence Housing Counselor

Julissa Gallaga holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Behavior Sciences and has professional experience in clinical settings, supporting children with autism and those navigating significant challenges. She is deeply passionate about helping others and seeks opportunities in the non-profit sector, where she values the meaningful impact and purpose-driven work. Her guiding principle is: “Helping one person might not change the whole world, but it could change the world for one person.

Domestic Violence Advocate

Maria Nieves aka “Lupita” was born and raised in Salinas California. Her family migrated from Mexico to the USA for a better life. She attended local public schools and continued her education. Lupita obtained her Associate Degree in Administration of Justice with Honors. She then transferred to California State University, Fresno State. Where she proudly completed and obtained her bachelor's in criminology- Victimology option. Lupita is bilingual and she enjoys working with all diversities in her community. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends and her adorable pets.

Domestic Violence Advocate

Marie Gallegos is a lifelong resident of Salinas, Ca, with a strong commitment to making a positive impact in her community. She has a background in the medical field as a Certified Medical Assistant where she developed a passion for helping others and advocating for their well-being. Her work in healthcare allowed her to witness the importance of compassion and care in addressing both physical and emotional needs. Through her time at the YWCA Monterey County, Marie discovered her dedication to supporting survivors of domestic violence. Her time at the organization provided her the opportunity to learn more about the trauma faced by individuals in these situations.  This sparked an interest in understanding the psychological aspects of trauma, inspiring her to pursue a degree in psychology. With her combined experience in healthcare and passion for psychology, Marie is committed to helping others by providing compassionate care, advocacy, and understanding. In her free time, she enjoys making cherished memories with her children and spending quality time with her loved ones.

Domestic Violence Advocate

Lifelong resident of Monterey County with a BA in Criminology with a Minor in Social Welfare. Lupe has worked as an advocate for children and adults with the challenge of domestic violence for 17 years. Lupe is also a Transdisciplinary Infant Family and Early Childhood Mental Health Practitioner, endorsed by the California Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health.

Domestic Violence Advocate (Housing Department)

Beatriz graduated from UC Merced in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After her graduation, she began working for the YWCA of Monterey County. Beatriz was born and raised in Salinas, CA. She attended North Salinas High School, where she dedicated over 200 hours to community service. The experience of giving back made her realize that she wanted to pursue a career in helping others. She is currently pursuing her MSW at CSUMB. Beatriz feels passionate about empowering and assisting individuals. In her role at the YWCA MC, Beatriz utilizes her interpersonal skills to handle crisis calls and meet the needs of clients at the shelter. Outside of her professional commitments, she enjoys hiking, baking, and spending time with her family.

Clinical Supervisor, LMFT

Ana is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. As the Direct Services Manager Ana oversees the programs that deal directly with clients, supporting victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, and other crimes. She works with children, adults, couples, and families. Ana received her Masters in counselling psychology with a focus on mental health and counseling skills to work with the Latino/Hispanic community from John F. Kennedy University. Having been with the YWCA Monterey County for over 10 years, she has become recognized as a key figure in local human service delivery.

Clinical Manager

Angelica is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and serves as a Clinical Manager, where she oversees all clinical staff to ensure a high-quality response to meet clients' needs. She specializes in providing trauma-informed care to individuals and excels in conducting comprehensive psychosocial assessments, developing effective treatment plans, implementing crisis intervention and safety planning strategies, and facilitating domestic violence psychoeducation groups. Angelica utilizes evidence-based treatment modalities to achieve the best outcomes for her clients. Her practice is guided by strong personal values and integrity, ensuring compassionate and ethical care for all her clients.

Associate Marriage Family Therapist

Nicole Gutierrez is a part-time AMFT with six years of experience providing trauma-informed individual and group therapy to those who have experienced forms of domestic violence. Nicole received her M.A. in Counseling Psychology with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, she is EMDR-trained, and has a passion for including expressive arts therapy modalities in her therapy with clients.

Intake Specialist

Zusett recently joined YWCA of Monterey County in February 2021 as our Intake Specialist. She is a first-generation college graduate from California State University, Monterey Bay. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Family studies. Zusett comes from an immigrant family and upon her move to Salinas, she knew that she wanted to give back to the community. She enjoys working with families and children. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, being outside in nature, and likes to travel.