Meet Our Team
The Diversity Center Team is filled with dedicated and experienced professionals who understand the specific needs of the LGBTQ+ community!
Executive Office + Finance
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Prior to taking the Executive Director position at The Diversity Center, for 14 years Cheryl served as the Director of Programs for Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. There she impacted the lives of thousands of people who enrolled in courses that encouraged human potential. Additionally, Cheryl has been a leader at major non-profits such as the Girl Scouts and AFS Intercultural Programs.
Cheryl was also a co-creator of the Wellbeing Project, an international nonprofit whose work supports many of the most remarkable social entrepreneurs across the globe today. Cheryl spends much of her personal time building community and creating a sense of belonging as well as engaging in many well-being practices such as somatic expression, meditation, and music therapy.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
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Neal retired a few years ago from an 18 month project at Cabrillo College upgrading technology in classrooms, and moved from the Host Desk to the admin/bookkeeping desk, half time. Prior to that, his career was "over the hill" as a Program and Project Manager for HP and 3Com. Neal has an MBA from MIT and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Stanford. Neal lives in Capitola with his wife Rose. They have three children, Matt, Andrea, and Torie, and a grandchild Emma, scattered across the country.
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Development + Communications
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Mel is the Director of Development and Communications at The Diversity Center, bringing over a decade of nonprofit experience in fundraising, marketing, and community engagement. She is dedicated to increasing accessibility and organizational sustainability, guided by a commitment to asset-based community development, culturally relevant marketing, and equitable data practices.
Before joining The Diversity Center, Mel served as Executive Director of the Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries (2023) and as Director of External Relations at the Monterey Museum of Art (2020–2023), where she led fundraising, marketing, events, operations, and design to create inclusive experiences for donors, members, and visitors. Earlier in her career, she spent six years with Hostelling International–USA, developing accessible travel opportunities for young adventurers.
An active community leader, Mel has served as Board Chair of Monterey Peninsula Pride since 2021. Outside of work, she finds inspiration in her spirited little dog, Lu.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Clinical Services
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LMFT #37124
Cybele’s daily motivation is to cultivate affirming and inclusive spaces for authentic connection, compassion and wellness. Bringing her experience as a licensed mental health clinician (LMFT), with gender-affirming clinical care training from leading organizations, such as WPATH, Fenway Institute, PAU’s LGBTQ+ Clinical Academy, Yale’s LGBTQ+ Affirming CBT Model and Family Acceptance Project to TDC, Cybele guides the success of our mental health program of goal-oriented trauma-informed LGBTQ+ affirming mental health program. TDC has expanded mental health service capacity by bringing on supervised field-placement counseling Trainees and Associates who are our county’s next generation of gender-affirming clinicians. Cybele advocates, through education with healthcare settings, on the incredible life-saving power of having affirming and accessible practices, like gender-neutral bathrooms and LGBTQ+ inclusive customer paperwork.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
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LCSW #107740
Martha is a queer therapist, who is passionate about providing culturally competent, neurodivergent inclusive, and trauma informed mental health care to our local community. They were drawn to joining the Diversity Center’s clinical team due to the unique opportunity to serve solely LGBTQIA+ clients in an intentionally affirming and welcoming environment. By joining the team, she seeks to expand access to clinical services, and aid in training graduate student therapists to provide quality inclusive care. In session, Martha frequently uses somatic skills, humor, and art therapy to help clients reach their goals. She believes in the power of therapy to facilitate growth of self compassion and autonomy for a wide range of people.
Martha enjoys hiking, mushroom foraging, watching women’s soccer, and cuddling with her two cats
Pronouns: They/Them
Contact Martha
Programming
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Meggie is a Queer Chicana multidisciplinary artist, advocate, and community organizer who believes in the power of creative expression and connection to transform lives. As Director of Programs at The Diversity Center, she leads a dynamic team delivering LGBTQ+ affirming programming across Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. Meggie holds a B.S. in Child & Family Development from San Diego State University and brings over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, community engagement, and large-scale event production. She is also a certified Welcoming Schools Facilitator. She supports GSA, QSA, and Rainbow Clubs in schools, fostering inclusive spaces and mentoring LGBTQ+ youth. Meggie designs culturally grounded Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curricula for K–12 students, educators, and families. Her approach blends activism with radical self-love grounded in community care, joy, and a strong commitment to collective healing and liberation.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
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Nic is a gender non-conforming and queer Santa Cruz resident, with several years of non-profit and direct service experience. Before joining The Diversity Center, Nic worked within the fields of domestic violence, youth violence prevention, and substance abuse recovery. They participated on the Perinatal Mental Health Coalition, Shared Safety Committee, and in a transformative justice program called A Space for Change. Nic's training includes transformative justice facilitation, motivational interviewing, ACEs screening, crisis intervention, data collection, and harm reduction. They graduated from UCSC in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in psychology. Nic's specialties include providing healing-centered engagement for program participants, facilitating engaging workshops to educate and inspire, and building out curriculum that reflects the needs and diversity of our community. Nic is passionate about creating a world free from violence and oppression, where resources, care, and support are available for everyone.
Nic is a Certified Welcoming Schools Facilitator. Welcoming Schools is a nationally recognized curriculum as the most comprehensive, bias-based bullying prevention program in the nation to provide LGBTQ+ and gender-inclusive professional development training and resources specifically designed for Pre-K - 12 educators and youth-serving professionals. Welcoming Schools uses an intersectional, anti-racist lens dedicated to actionable policies and practices.
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
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Chris is a Queer, Trans Chicane community organizer who advocates for intersectional liberation and radical queer joy through connection, art and activism. They hold a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, with a specialized focus in Ethnic Studies from California State University of Northridge. Once moving to Santa Cruz, Chris co-created Neuroqueer Dreamers, a community support space for neurodivergent queer and queer questioning folks. Neuroqueer Dreamers helped expand inclusivity and accessibility through workshops, trainings, accessible events and somatic healing offerings. As the Equity and Accessibility Co-chair for a Santa Cruz local organizing group, Chris also helped develop curriculum and facilitate workshops centering the disability justice framework to increase disability and neurodistinct visibility in local organizing spaces. They helped co-create Santa Cruz Queer Soccer, a weekly inclusive and all-levels movement space for queer and trans folks to connect with community, develop new soccer skills and access free soccer equipment. They also were the Program Coordinator for Kids In Nature, an outdoor education program for local youth that fosters deep nature connection and social, environmental awareness and advocacy.
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
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Raised in the resilient and beautiful vivacious valley of Salinas, Azul is a Bilingual Non-binary Queer and First Generation Chicane college student. They were raised by immigrant parents who helped foster a fighting spirit for community care and advocacy. They are currently pursuing an associates degree in Sociology at Hartnell College. They have helped cultivate a welcoming LGBTQIA+ space and create activities for students at their local community college with the Office of Equity Programs at Hartnell College. They used their experiences and knowledge from working with students to help cultivate an inclusive environment that considers the intersectionality of Queer students and youth at Hartnell College when helping establish the LGBTQIA+ space and activities. They understand the dedication and perseverance Queer B.I.P.O.C. Youth and Students face, and with such understanding, they are determined to ensure community resources and aid stay accessible to all. They hope to help expand their knowledge within Queer Chicane studies to share articles, art, and stories within their community.
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
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A compassionate advocate from rural Appalachia, Virginia, whose journey through life has been a testament to the vibrant experiences of Queer identity and community support. With a foundation built on empathy and understanding, Zak intertwines their Drag artistry and academic pursuits, holding bachelor's degrees in sociology, criminology, and psychology from Virginia Tech and currently pursuing a PhD from the University of California, Santa Cruz. At UCSC, Zak delves into the nexus of digital technology and familial relationships in shaping the identities of LGBTQIA+ youth. Beyond academia, Zak is an active member of various community affiliates, including the Safe Schools Project and Pride committees, where they develop workshops and seminars to bridge research with grassroots advocacy. Zak's mission is clear: centering Queer experiences and generations to forge institutional change and enduring support networks for well-being and growth.
Zak is a Certified Welcoming Schools Facilitator. Welcoming Schools is a nationally recognized curriculum as the most comprehensive, bias-based bullying prevention program in the nation to provide LGBTQ+ and gender-inclusive professional development training and resources specifically designed for Pre-K - 12 educators and youth-serving professionals. Welcoming Schools uses an intersectional, anti-racist lens dedicated to actionable policies and practices.
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Community Engagement
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After moving back to the Central Coast just before lockdown, Tara was happy to find community through the Diversity Center's online genderqueer peer group. A bi-cultural Army kid raised in Germany, Tara studied comparative literature and gender studies at Bryn Mawr College, and as a life-long student they continue to investigate mindfulness, psychology, energy work, and Gestalt Awareness Practice. Tara believes in service, mutual aid, community building, and supporting the wellbeing of the planet and all its inhabitants. They hope to help increase the quality of life and the wellbeing of Santa Cruz LGBTQ+ community members in the ways they most need or want, connecting them to themselves, each other, and the wider community.
Pronouns: they/them/any
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Carmelita is a passionate advocate for volunteerism and community care, with over 15 years of experience as a Volunteer Coordinator in crisis intervention settings—including a Suicide Hotline and Rape Crisis Center. In these roles, she trained and empowered hundreds of volunteers, law enforcement officers, and social workers in trauma-informed support for survivors, while serving on county-wide committees to strengthen systemic responses to violence. Born in Santa Cruz and raised in Watsonville, Carmelita was a 2002 recipient of the Queer Youth Leadership Award and remains deeply rooted in LGBTQ+ community work. When not coordinating volunteers or facilitating trainings, she enjoys beach days with her daughter, making tamales with family, and traveling.
Carmelita is a Certified Welcoming Schools Facilitator. Welcoming Schools is a nationally recognized curriculum as the most comprehensive, bias-based bullying prevention program in the nation to provide LGBTQ+ and gender-inclusive professional development training and resources specifically designed for Pre-K - 12 educators and youth-serving professionals. Welcoming Schools uses an intersectional, anti-racist lens dedicated to actionable policies and practices.
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers/They/Them/Theirs