Wendy grew up running around a vineyard in the Salinas Valley. Her parents, immigrants from Mexico, worked the many row crops of the region and also spent significant time working in the wine grape industry of South Monterey County. A favorite ranch activity was when her dad would take her and her siblings to watch the nighttime mechanical grape harvest at the start of every harvest season.

After graduating from UC Irvine and moving back to the Salinas area, Wendy realized the deep impact that growing up in a farmworker family and community had on her. Reconnecting with the land and community as an adult led her to discover her passion for working in and supporting agricultural communities. An opportunity to participate in ALBA’s farmer education program sparked her interest in small-scale sustainable farming and drove her to serve as a board member for Everyone's Harvest, a nonprofit that operates farmers markets and community food programs in Monterey County.

Since graduating, Wendy has worked in corporate giving at Driscoll’s, student outreach and retention at Hartnell Community College, and most recently in program data management for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders.

Wendy resides in Sacramento and recently earned an MBA at UC Davis. She is excited to bring her background and knowledge to support Kitchen Table Advisors’ impact in driving the economic viability of small sustainable farms and ranches.