The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors has selected District 5 Supervisor Monica Martinez as chair for 2026, making her the first openly LGBTQ+ and Latina person to hold the position.
Martinez was chosen by her colleagues after a first year focused on protecting essential services, supporting vulnerable populations, strengthening wildfire preparedness, and deepening community engagement.
“Serving as chair is an honor, and I’m grateful for the trust of my colleagues,” Martinez said. “My focus will be on preparedness, equity, and making sure the county delivers real, measurable results for residents as we face growing budget pressures and climate impacts.”
Since taking office in January 2025, Martinez has led efforts to protect health care and food assistance programs, convening nonprofit and service-provider partners to address anticipated federal budget cuts and maintain services during federal funding disruptions. She also pushed a board resolution to protect women and LGBTQ+ individuals, and secured funding for LGBTQ+ services and legal aid for undocumented immigrants.
To strengthen wildfire preparedness and recovery, Martinez hosted district town halls on evacuations and emergency communications, expanded fuel-reduction efforts, and improved planning and permitting support for CZU Fire rebuilds. She also invested in parks and community spaces, including improvements at Ben Lomond County Park and other District 5 projects.
As chair, Martinez will preside over board meetings, help set the agenda, and represent Santa Cruz County in regional and state discussions while continuing to serve District 5 residents. The board also named Supervisor Manu Koenig as vice chair.