As Director of Monterey County Homeless Services Program, Roxanne Wilson is a seasoned community leader with over a decade of dedicated service to housing justice and homelessness reduction. She leads the county's efforts to integrate policy, planning, and partnerships across governmental and nonprofit sectors by overseeing strategic initiatives and homeless response systems.

Kathleen deLaski is at the forefront of designing higher education for the 21st century. She founded Education Design Lab to help colleges begin the journey to reimagine higher education toward the future of work and she manages the deLaski Family Foundation, a 25-year grant maker in education reform. In her book, Who Needs College Anymore: Imagining a Future Where Degrees Won’t Matter, Kathleen describes a multiple educational pathways through the learners lifecycle to help them find success.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium coordinates initiatives in California to establish the nation’s first statewide network of marine protected areas, prohibit the trade of shark fin products, ban plastic grocery bags and defend against expanded offshore oil and gas drilling. Aimee's team advocates for the sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture around the world, to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean, and to take action on climate change.

Former California Senate Majority Leader Bill Monning reminds us that regardless of your political affiliation, voting provides the opportunity to make sure that your opinions and beliefs are represented at the local, state, and federal levels when decisions about public policy are being made. It is tempting to think that mid-term elections in which there are no major national candidates on the ballot are less important. However, every election provides you with the opportunity to make sure that your voice is heard.

Dr. Chad Harris reminds us that defending health care equity is a fundamental community value that is important to all of us. Dr. Harris serves as CEO of Natividad Medical Center, the safety-net hospital for Monterey County. He also serves on the executive committee of the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems that advocates for comprehensive, high quality, equitable health care services for all Californians, regardless of insurance status, immigration status, ability to pay, or other circumstance.