Larisa Sheparovich joined the team in May 2023 as the Schools and Worksites Lead for the Peninsula Cities. In this role, Larisa works to help make healthy choices easier at school campuses and worksites.

Before working at the Blue Zones Project, Larisa was an elementary school teacher in San Luis Obispo and in Salinas. Larisa always had a passion for teaching students about nutrition, mental health, socio-emotional skills, and the importance of moving naturally. The students were always asking questions and wanted to learn more about how to live happy, healthy lives. Joining the Blue Zones Project was an easy choice.

Larisa received her Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where she studied Psychology and Neuroscience. Larisa has always been interested in the mind-body connection.

My Power 9

My favorite Power 9 is “Loved Ones First.” In my free time, you can find me playing cards with family or going on a walk with friends (and my dog, Bruiser). Spending quality time with my loved ones helps me feel grounded and allows me to remember my purpose.

Mackenzie Fisher joins the Blue Zones Project – Monterey County team as our Sr. Events & Office Specialist. As the daughter of two local entrepreneurs, she grew up in the hospitality industry, so event planning and office management is a natural fit. She has spent the last few years working in mental health, providing access to marginalized groups across the country, but is thrilled to be back and supporting her own community. She happily manages the day-to-day function of all three of our local offices and supports the team and community with events across the county.

Mackenzie was born and raised on the Monterey Peninsula and attended Santa Catalina High School, before moving to Washington State where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Spanish Language, and Education from the University of Puget Sound. During this time, she spent 7 months abroad in Granada, Spain studying the language and culture. It was here that her passion for slow-living, natural health, and movement came to fruition. She is an avid herbalist and studies naturopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and acupuncture when she is not working, cooking, or exercising with her dog.

My Power 9

For me, moving naturally and downshifting work hand in hand and I have found there is no better place to downshift than walking along the ocean with my partner and our puppy. You will find us walking/running/tidepooling along Asilomar or hiking the trails in Pacific Grove, Carmel, and Big Sur.

Antonio Vargas joined Blue Zones Project – Salinas as the Food Environment Lead in June 2022. His focus involves working with restaurants and grocery stores in Salinas to add healthier food options and creating healthier food environments.

Antonio was born in Salinas and raised in Gonzales. After graduating from Gonzales High School, he went off to study Biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Health Education and Health Promotion at Arizona State University.

The focus of his studies involved health promotion planning, community health, the social determinants of health, the built environment, and food insecurity. This led him to view his own community with a new lens and come to the realization that he wanted to help use his newfound education and 8 years of experience as a Chef to create positive and lasting change in Monterey County.

In his free time, Antonio enjoys spending time with family, cooking, listening to music, and basketball.

My Power 9

My favorite Power 9 is Loved Ones First.

Specifically, Dalila will be working in collaboration with Monterey South County’s Restaurants and Grocery Stores to make strategic changes that foster a healthier food environment for the community. In addition, Dalila will work with local stakeholders to implement equity driven food policy.

After graduating from Alisal High School, Dalila went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, Community, and Culture from the University of California, Los Angeles. She then obtained a Master of Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley.

In her graduate program, she conducted research with low-income Californian families on their knowledge and use of Safety Net programs and their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her capstone project focused on creating evidence-based content for the Berkeley School of Public Health website on the racism embedded in foods systems and its consequences on health outcomes. As an immigrant Latina, she is passionate about eliminating the systemic barriers that low income and minority populations face when it comes to accessing nutritious food.

In her free time, Dalila enjoys spending time with family and loved ones, strength training, hiking, listening to crime podcasts, and catching up on shows.

My Power 9

Family first, always. 

Maribel Roque joins the Blue Zones Project® as the Organization Lead for Worksites and Restaurants. In her role, she works with local businesses to help implement best practices for a healthier, more productive, and happier environment for their workforce, and to make healthier choices easier and more accessible in our community. 

Maribel has over 15 years of experience working in media as a Marketing & Sales Consultant in Monterey County, which allowed her to cultivate and grow strong relationships with local businesses and organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with a concentration in Marketing. Throughout her professional career, she has served on various boards and committees, and as a volunteer to many local organizations.

My Power 9

My Power 9®:  Move Naturally and Downshift. I love that I am minutes away from enjoying a walk at the beach or hike at one of our many beautiful trails. The fresh air and beautiful scenery allow me to downshift, and clear my mind, reset, and feel at peace.  

Genevieve LeBlanc is the Senior Food Policy Lead for the Blue Zones Project® – Monterey County. She is responsible for the overall effectiveness in generating and accelerating positive changes in the food environment. As part of her role, she collaborates with food systems stakeholders to pursue policies, programs, and projects that improve healthy food access and availability. She also engages grocery stores to support them in adding healthier food and changing their environment to promote healthier options. She works towards creating consistent implementation of food environment projects county-wide. She also sits on the Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) task force with colleagues from different Blue Zones Project communities across the country. 

Genevieve earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University and a master’s degree in Gender, Development, and Globalization from the London School of Economics. She wrote her dissertation on food sovereignty.

My Power 9

I really enjoy Moving Naturally and Plant Slant. One way I combine both is through tending to my garden where I grow most of my vegetables during summer months, and then transform them into delicious plant-based dishes. I also love to hike with my family and friends across Monterey County.