Every staff member at MCRCC undergoes the necessary training required to provide advocacy to our clients and helpline callers. Our staff do not provide legal advice or representation.
Monterey Staff
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Lorelei AhlemeyerCampus Advocacy Program Manager
Lorelei Ahlemeyer is the Campus Advocacy Manager at CSU Monterey Bay, where she enjoys empowering survivors of sexual assault. She previously worked for the Kansas Attorney General as a System-Based Advocate under the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative. She served on a statewide multi-disciplinary team to improve the lives of sexual assault survivors and worked on a committee to develop new investigative model policies for law enforcement. She received a Distinguished Service Recognition Award from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for her work with survivors. Lorelei is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master’s in Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading, and spending time with her family. |
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Lauren DaSilvaExecutive Director
Lauren was hired as the Deputy Director after earning a Master of Public Administration from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies where she focused research and course work on sexual violence and organizational capacity building. Lauren’s passion in life is rooted in MCRCC’s vision to end sexual violence, and all forms of violence. Though this passion may sometimes appear singular, she also deeply loves the natural beauty of Monterey County, her three-legged dog, family, friends, cooking, growing dahlias, and her co-workers at MCRCC who amaze her with their brilliance and dedication everyday. |
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Gracie GarciaAdministrative Assistant
Gracie joined the MCRCC staff in October 2022. Raised in Southern California, Gracie moved to Salinas in 2010 and has been loving Monterey County ever since. She is currently going to Hartnell College as a 2 year transfer student. She is majoring in Communications with an emphasis in Sociology. As a self proclaimed extrovert, Gracie hopes to engage with the community in impactful ways such as advocacy. This is why she sought out the opportunity to be a volunteer for the MCRCC in the fall of 2021. Her passions include creating DIY magazines, hanging out with her sisters, and having themed movie nights. |
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Andy OrtizCrisis Intervention Services Manager
Andy joined MCRCC in February of 2022. Andy attended UCSC where his concentration was in Sociology and Psychology and will return to school Fall of 2022 for his Master's Program. Andy previously served as a member of Monterey Police Department's Multidisciplinary Outreach Team and has experience working with individuals with psychiatric disabilities, victims of trauma, people experiencing homelessness and individuals dealing with substance use. Outside of work Andy enjoys being outdoors, painting, writing poetry, reading, and spending time with his dog Charlie. |
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Lydia TurkePrevention Director
Lydia is a graduate of Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where she earned her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Spanish. In 2019, she moved across the country to pursue her passion for comprehensive sex education and sexual violence prevention. Lydia spent two years as a sexual and reproductive health educator, and now runs the Our Voice prevention clubs with high school students in Monterey County. Outside of work, her passions include hiking, playing ultimate frisbee, dancing, and spending time with loved ones! |
Salinas Staff
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Wendy AlvaradoCrisis Intervention Specialist
Wendy joined MCRCC in October of 2022 as a Crisis Intervention Specialist. She was born and raised in Monterey, California. Wendy earned her Bachelor's in Criminal Justice at Sacramento State University. She has experience working with at risk and CSEC youth, and families experiencing homelessness. Wendy is excited to be a part of the MCRCC team. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and going to the movies. |
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Cindy BrodskyClinical Services Director
Cindy is a licensed clinical social worker. She received her BA from Vassar College in New York and her MSW from Simmons College School of Social Work in Boston. Before coming to Monterey County Rape Crisis Center, she worked for 11 years at the D’Arrigo Children’s Clinic at Kinship Center, providing therapy to children and their families, as well as providing a myriad of other supportive roles within the clinic. She is very excited to be part of MCRCC.
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Desteney GarciaHuman Trafficking Outreach Specialist
Desteney Garcia is from Salinas, California and received her B.A. in Human Development and Family Studies from California State University Monterey Bay. She volunteered with the Monterey County Rape Crisis Center as an advocate before becoming our Human Trafficking Outreach Specialist in December 2022. In her free time she enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with her cats, and volunteering with the Marine Mammal Center on Sundays. |
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Bianca HernandezCommunity Engagement Specialist
Bianca attended San Jose State University for her undergraduate and graduate degrees, where she earned a Masters in Sociology. Much of her research was done on the topic of sexual consent in high school sex education curriculums. Her background includes working at various non-profits such as CASA of Monterey County and our local Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, running, grabbing an iced coffee while reading feminist literature or simply taking care of her plants. She is very excited to work with the community and be a part of the MCRCC. |
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Giselle LazaroPrevention Educator
Giselle is a bilingual prevention educator and joined MCRCC in September of 2022. She graduated from the University of California, Davis in the spring of 2022 and got her Bachelor of Arts in Chicana/o Studies and Political Science. Giselle is a born and raised Salinas native who enjoys watching movies, biking, running, and spending time with her dog, Gordo. She is very excited to have joined the MCRCC team and get to provide for and serve her community.
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Paola MartinezCrisis Intervention Services Director
Paola moved to Monterey from Sacramento to attend school, where she obtained her B.A. in Psychology at CSU Monterey Bay. She started volunteering at MCRCC in Fall 2016 as an Advocate. She plans to continue school and obtain her Master's in Social Work with hopes of one day working as a therapist with survivors of trauma. She is beyond excited to be a part of the team at MCRCC. In her free time, she loves to go back to Sacramento and spend time with her family and Maximo her dog. |
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Carl MuchaPREA Outreach Manager
Carl is the PREA Outreach Manager and provides advocacy and supportive services to incarcerated survivors at local detention facilities throughout Monterey County. Carl believes all survivors are deserving of dignity and respect, and is committed to providing incarcerated populations with support. |
Rosa ZavalaChild Abuse Treatment Program Manager
Prior to Rosa’s position as the Child Abuse Treatment (CHAT) Program Manager for The Monterey County Rape Crisis Center, she was in Child Abuse Prevention for seven years. She graduated from CSUMB with a BA degree in Collaborative Health and Human Services with a concentration in social work. |
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Robyn GuzikDeputy Director
Robyn is a 2015 graduate of CSU Monterey Bay, where she earned her Bachelors of Arts in Collaborative Health and Human Services with a concentration in Public Administration. While she attended CSUMB, she interned for three semesters with MCRCC’s outreach program. |
Clinical Staff
Cindy Brodsky, LCSW #21845
Robyn Guzik, ASW #105340
Wanda Jackson, AMFT #140677
Tiina Kurvi,LCSW #101443
Denise Osornio, LMFT #132118
Amanda Roberts, LCSW #101215
