Fueling the organization’s mission to break barriers and transform communities within San Diego, Episcopal Community Services (ECS) is adding four new members to its board of directors to support ongoing program enhancements and increase awareness throughout the community.

New board members include: Hezekiah Herrera, special education teacher for the Alpine Union School District; Erica Martin, senior counsel at San Diego Gas & Electric; Katie Tran, marketing and events director at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Oscar Gomez, chief operations officer at Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego. The directors will leverage their unique experience and talent to support ECS’ vision of an equitable society where all have unlimited potential.

“With the reinvigorated focus of our new strategic direction, ECS is tapping into talented partners throughout the San Diego region to join us as we work toward our vision,” said Elizabeth Fitzsimons, CEO of ECS. “Our new board members each bring valuable experience and dedication to our community. They will help fuel ECS’ commitment to working collaboratively through partnerships to advance our shared goals, enhance our programs for greater impact, and strengthen awareness within our community to drive regional change.”

In addition to Herrera’s special education classroom experience, he brings a unique perspective to the board as a former client of ECS’ Para Las Familias program, which provides bilingual behavioral and mental health services to families with young children. His experience as both a teacher and an ECS client will ensure the client experience remains top of mind for the board.  Before becoming an educator, he worked in the public affairs and communications field and has also served on multiple city, county and nonprofit organization boards and commissions. Herrera resides in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego with his two children.

Martin is senior counsel at SDG&E and practices in the areas of regulatory and environmental law, representing the company before the California Public Utilities Commission and other federal, state and local agencies. Martin’s knowledge of the regulatory environment and her vast network of relationships throughout the region will help support ECS’ goals for increased partnership and collaboration. In addition to joining the ECS board of directors, Martin currently sits on the advisory board of the Copley-Price YMCA and is the legal advisor to the Vestry at St. Michael’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Carlsbad. She resides in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego with her husband, Kyle, and their two children.

Through her role at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Tran’s experience in creatively executing virtual, hybrid and in-person events, profitable budget and contract management, and improving the overall event experience will play a critical role in enhancing ECS’ range of events to reach targeted communities and bring awareness to the organization. Alongside her position on the board, Tran is currently co-leading the formation and direction of the ECS Young Professionals Group to help engage young leaders in the community and serves on the Resource Development Committee for ECS. Tran lives in the Oak Park neighborhood of San Diego with her husband, Duy, and their son.

Gomez brings nearly two decades of experience in early childhood education and operations work with nonprofits to his role on the board. He previously served as the deputy of director of child development at MAAC, overseeing the organization’s Head Start program, performance standards and federal reviews. With his extensive knowledge of the Head Start program and as a proud Head Start alumnus, Gomez will help elevate the voices of the communities in which ECS serves through education and leadership. He is currently the chief operations officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego and previously held roles as the director of parenting services at Jewish Family Service and operations chief of the United States Marine Corps. Gomez resides in Oceanside with his wife, Melinda, and their two children.

About Episcopal Community Services

For more than 97 years, ECS has been taking action to end generational cycles of hardship, advancing equity and opportunity across our region. The organization is focused on breaking barriers and empowering individuals to create a community where all can pursue an abundant life. Serving more than 6,000 individuals a year, ECS’ programs increase access to early childhood education and development services and strengthen the mental and behavioral health of individuals and families in our communities. For more information on ECS, visit https://www.ecscalifornia.org/.

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