PVPSA’s mission is to improve the quality of life of the students and families of the Pajaro Valley by providing health education, counseling and prevention services, and by advocating for public policies that protect the health of our community.
Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance (PVPSA) is a nonprofit agency dedicated to providing education, training, and counseling and prevention services to students, families, and staff of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD). By helping prevent criminal behavior, gang involvement, truancy and school dropout, and drug, alcohol, and tobacco use, PVPSA promotes student success and enhances the quality of life in our community. PVPSA created the dedicated nonprofit agency model, in reference to the unique and special relationship it has with the local school district.
PVPSA has over 25 years of experience in providing comprehensive health education, tobacco use prevention, and intervention services to the Pajaro Valley community, including the Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD), the largest school district in Santa Cruz County which also encompasses North Monterey County. In addition to its longstanding involvement the school district, PVPSA has cultivated partnerships with other city, counties (Santa Cruz and Monterey), and state organizations, both private and public, to collaborate on community issues such as alcohol and drug use, gang prevention, health, education, especially reducing expulsions, public advocacy, and safety. The agency also provides mental health counseling in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District schools and at our Watsonville Counseling Center.
From its inception, PVPSA has maintained a leadership role in prevention and intervention. With commitment to addressing the social determinants of health, the agency utilizes an upstream public health approach to achieving community health and wellness. This includes health related public policy advocacy efforts. The agency’s first major accomplishment was developing and implementing policy that prohibited tobacco use and tobacco products on PVUSD school campuses. Currently, PVPSA public policy efforts include directing multiple community projects and activities that address tobacco and alcohol related inequalities. PVPSA staff plays a key role in promoting prevention services and intervention activities for local youth and families in our schools and in throughout the community.
Board of Directors
Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, Board President
Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District
Janet Mayou, Board Vice President
Community Member
Leslie DeRose, Board Secretary
Trustee, Pajaro Valley Unified School District
Claudia Mehl Crosetti, Board Treasurer
Community Business Owner
Nancy Bilicich
City Council Member, City of Watsonville
Mark Brewer
Assistant Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District
Melody Canady
Chief Business Officer, Pajaro Valley Unified School District
David Honda
Chief, Watsonville Police Department
Michael Paynter
Alternate, Santa Cruz County Office of Education
Dick Allen
Community Member
Rhea DeHart
Community Member
PVPSA Leadership Team
Erica Padilla-Chavez, MPA
Chief Executive Officer
Email: epadillachavez@pvpsa.org
Fish Williams, BA
Finance and Operations Director
Email: fish.williams@pvpsa.org
Beatriz Collazo, AS
Senior Analyst, Human Resources
Email: beatriz.collazo@pvpsa.org
Doreen Diego, LMFT
Youth Program Manager
Email: doreen.diego@pvpsa.org
Charles Wilkins, LMFT
Licensed Clinical Supervisor/Interim Program Administrator
Email: charles.wilkins@pvpsa.org
Lupe Macias, LCSW
Clinical Supervisor, First Five Monterey County
Email: lupe.macias@pvpsa.org
Gina Cole, BA
Senior Policy Analyst
Email: gina.cole@pvpsa.org
Adriana Mata
Program Administrator
Email: adriana.mata@pvpsa.org
Linda Cosio, AA
Program Analyst
Email: linda.cosio@pvpsa.org