Elba Gonzalez-Mares, Executive Director graduated from the University of California in Davis in 2005 with a degree in International Relations. Ms. Gonzalez-Mares was employed by the Community Health Initiative ten years ago as one of the first certified application assistants in Napa County. Highly skilled and motivated, she advanced to the position of Health Services Manager, coordinating program operations and carrying out community relations and staff training, supervision, and support responsibilities. She is also trained, licensed and certified as an insurance agent in California. Ms. Gonzalez-Mares oversaw the expansion of CHI’s assistance services from exclusively children to include adults and seniors as well. As management staff, she developed many of the operational procedures that the Community Health Initiative’s Health Access staff function under to this day. She was appointed to the position of Executive Director of the Community Health Initiative in May 2015.