Board

Robert Ramirez, President

3rd term
As a local business owner of North Bay Office Furniture, Robert has served on many local boards. He was raised in the Mission District of San Francisco and understands the importance of serving a diverse community through language and cultural understanding.

Dr. Elisa Velásquez-Andrade, Vice President

2nd term
Dr. Elisa Velásquez-Andrade, a native of Mexico, is a professor and chair of the Pyschology Department at Sonoma State University (SSU). She obtained an M.A. and a Ph.D. in developmental psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. At SSU, she is the creator of Speed Diversity Dialogue®: A Multicultural Training, a co-founder and Chair of Alianza for Equity (an advocacy group of Latino faculty, staff, students and allies), and was the first Director of Diversity and Inclusive Excellence. She brings a strong commitment to reducing health racial disparities and promoting best practices to serve diverse populations.

Tom Isaak, Member

3rd term
Tom Isaak is Chairman of CourseCo, Inc. which employees some 1200 at 37 golf facilities. Along with exceptional business skills, Tom has expertise in strategy and organizational development. Tom is a graduate of Stanford University and also attended Sonoma State University for undergraduate and post-graduate studies in both environmental planning and finance. A lifelong Petaluma resident, Tom joined the board to support the health center’s vital role in the community. Having served on multiple boards and committees, Tom brings a unique focus on collaboration and accountability.

Cecilia Castaneda, Member

2nd term
Cecilia is a first generation Latinx and is bilingual in English and Spanish. She grew up in Los Angeles and has lived in the Bay Area for more than 20 years, currently with her husband and daughter in Marin County. She comes from a family of Mariachi musicians and is a proud “Hija del Mariachi.” After immigrating to the U.S., her mom and close relatives worked as agricultural field workers in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys. Cecilia is the first in her family to graduate from university and has a degree in social welfare policy from UC Berkeley, with a concentration in public health. Cecilia works for the Sonoma County Health Services Department (Elder Depression Program), and has worked at UCSF for the Women’s HIV Program. She has over 15 years’ experience working with the County of Marin in various capacities including as a Public Health Investigator for COVID Response, a social worker for Adult Protective Services (APS), and for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). She has also worked for California Children’s Services (CCS), and county programs stationed at hospitals and community clinics including rural West Marin. Cecilia has previously served on the Board of Directors for Coastal Health Alliance.

Teresa Taylor-King, Member

2nd term
Teresa has Master’s Degree in Public Administration and over 35 years of city and county government experience with the City of Oakland and the County of Marin. She has served as Chairperson of the County of Marin’s Division of Social Services Cultural Competence Committee. She is an active member of the Petaluma Blacks for Community Development and is a strong advocate of quality, affording healthcare services for all. Teresa is retired from full-time work but continues to work for the City of Rohnert Park’s Senior Center and as extra-hire for the County of Marin.

Dr. Catherine West, MD, DrPH, Member

2nd term
Catherine West, MD, DrPH, is a Petaluma resident and a full-time faculty member in the Primary Care Department at the Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine. Formerly a Bay Area hospice medical director with Sutter Health, she now teaches medical students about medical ethics, public health and preventive medicine, and end-of-life care. Raised in Southern California, she completed medical and public health training in Boston and moved to Petaluma in 1989. Dr. West served on the PHC Board of Directors for over 10 years and her two adult daughters and her new son-in-law are very satisfied PHC patients. Dr. West is pleased to be serving again, inspired by the growing role that PHC plays in providing compassionate and competent care for all members of our community. She appreciates the opportunity to be actively involved in increasing access to health care here in Southern Sonoma County and in improving the quality and scope of services here at the PHC.

Phoebe Ellis, Member

2nd term
Phoebe Ellis is a multi-generational resident of Petaluma and part owner of Lace House Linen, Inc., where she also manages human resources and employee relations. She attended Boston College and received a joint law and social work degree from Loyola University of Chicago in 1996. She worked in the City Attorney’s Office for the City and County of San Francisco for 8 years before moving back to Petaluma to live and raise her family. Phoebe loves living and working in Petaluma and being involved in the community. She has been involved in PTA, Petaluma High School Athletic Boosters and has served as a trustee for the Petaluma-Joint Unified School District. Phoebe is thrilled to be a part of the Petaluma Health Center board and to be a part of the mission of making quality health services accessible to all in our community.

Elizabeth (Liza) Goldblatt, PhD, MPA/HA, Member

1st term
Elizabeth Goldblatt is the Director of National and Global Projects for the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM). She is on the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Medicine Board where she was a founding member. She is also on the leadership team of the National Center for Integrative Primary Health (NCIPH), the curriculum development team of the Duke Leadership Program in Integrative Health, and she developed the doctoral and master degrees at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. Dr. Goldblatt received her Master in Public Administration/Health Administration (MPA/HA) degree from Portland State University, Portland, OR, and earned her PhD from the University of California, Los Angles, California.

William Barrett, Member

1st term
William Barrett is a real estate agent in West Marin and has served the area as an environmental activist and a designer of books. William moved to the West Marin community of Point Reyes Station in 1980. In 1981, with a freshly cut finger that needed attention, he found treatment at the brand-new medical office of Mike Witte at the Coastal Health Alliance Point Reyes Medical Clinic. He has been a patient ever since. He lives in a quiet valley in Inverness with his partner Gary.

Fernando Carrillo, Member

1st term
Fernando J Carrillo has been assisting families, individuals and small businesses with their finances since 1998. He joined Merrill Lynch Wealth Management as a Financial Advisor in 2016 after a successful career at companies in both the for-profit and non-profit spheres. Since joining Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Fernando has focused in helping small business and foundations with the review, improvement and creation of retirement plans for their owners, executives and employees. Fernando is a graduate of Escuela Politécnica del Ejército (Army Polytechnic) in Quito, Ecuador with a B.A. in Finance and Business Administration.