Zayda L. Garcia, Executive Director, was raised in Alhambra CA. For nearly two decades she has established herself as a diverse professional with the ability to work effectively using her professional and educational training in psychology and not-for-profit fields. She is proud to be serving as the founding Executive Director for The Rudolph J. and Daphne A. Munzer Foundation in Long Beach CA. Prior to joining the Munzer Foundation, she served as Chief Operations Officer for Kids In Sports in Los Angeles building sports clubs in various low-income communities in Los Angeles. During her eleven-year tenure as founding Executive Director with El Viento Foundation in Huntington Beach CA, she developed an educational college pipeline program for “at-risk” youth that remains in place today. Her vision that the organization should include a blend of life skills, afterschool academic assistance, and an educational program for the parents of the “at-risk” youth the organization served, enabled the organization to create educational partnerships and effectuate impactful changes within the under-served community of Oak View in Huntington Beach and become a well-known and respected organization in Orange County. Zayda has served on non-profit boards primarily focusing on at risk youth and community rebuilding efforts and partnerships. She enjoys hiking, wine, traveling, and loves living in Long Beach. Zayda has a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from California State University Long Beach.
Office (562) 362-6401 /
email
Monica Ochoa, Program Associate, is the newest addition to the foundation staff. She brings experience in the areas of health, policy, education and evaluation. Prior to joining the Munzer team, Monica was part of Maternal and Child Health Access, a non-profit in Los Angeles, where she coordinated the Oral Health Advocacy program and was responsible for educating advocates, social service agencies, policy-makers and families about the importance and need for oral health care and especially benefits for pregnant women. In this position she also coordinated and worked collaboratively with the Department of Health Care Services and was a key member of the Stakeholder group. Prior to this role, Monica was a Research Associate for LA Best Babies Network and worked on raising awareness of maternal depression and bringing the issue to the forefront by compiling best practices on maternal depression which resulted in a landscape report, one of the first reports to shed light on programmatic practices in LA County. Monica received her Master of Public Health from California State University, Long Beach. In her free time, she loves cooking, being outdoors in nature and camping with her husband, their teen son and Cooper, their dog.
Office: (562) 362-6412/
email
Jeri Lynne Cullison, Administrative Assistant, was raised in Santa Monica CA but discovered Long Beach CA when she and her husband purchased their first home, where they continue to reside. As their family expanded to include a daughter and son, so did involvement in their Long Beach neighborhood and community. Jeri Lynne soon learned that it wasn’t in her nature to say “no” (except to her children) and as they grew, so did the opportunities to volunteer at church and the Long Beach Public Schools her children attended. She was an active VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools), and held many positions with PTA, Millikan High School Booster Clubs and the Quest Parent Committee. When her children were teenagers, it was time to re-enter the “workforce” and in 2008 she started working as Administrative Assistant to Daniel Munzer at Munco, Inc., and it is there that she was introduced to Daphne Munzer, Co-Founder of the Munzer Foundation. In September 2017, Jeri Lynne stepped into her role as the Administrative Assistant for the Munzer Foundation, a place where she can use the skills she’s developed throughout her life, share her love of Long Beach, and serve this community in a new way. Besides spending time with family and friends, Jeri Lynne enjoys working in her “drought tolerant” garden, long walks, reading, the occasional “win” at Scrabble, road trips, and any activities that take her near the ocean. Jeri Lynne received her Bachelor of Arts at UCLA.
Office (562)362-6411/
email