NETWORK LEADERSHIP

Muriel Herrera-Velasquez (she/her)

Network Manager, PCECN

Muriel values community advocacy and collaboration. She is passionate about breaking down barriers and building bridges for present and future generations. She believes in manifesting positivity and that there is no better medicine than laughter. You will most likely find Muriel, iced coffee in hand, following her rambunctious toddlers around. Deeply connected to her Mexican roots and heritage, most weekends are spent with family and good food.

Ruba Ayub
(she/they)

Advocacy and Community Partnerships Manager, PCECN
Ruba is a dedicated community organizer and writer committed to advancing equity and transformative justice. Her work centers on amplifying the voices of Black and Brown families and children to address systemic challenges. She co-founded "Youth Voices for Justice WA" and "Love Is Transformative WA," organizations dedicated to driving social change and advancing transformative justice and abolitionist principles.

Rosario Bautista, BA
(she/her)

Community Outreach Specialist, HopeSparks

*Family Voice Action Team Lead*
Rosario earned her BA in Family and Consumer Science with a minor in Sociology from Central Washington University. Rosario has experience working with children ages 1-18 years old in school settings as a substitute teacher, a visitation supervisor, and a Family Support Specialist. Coming from a Hispanic background, Rosario understands the importance of having access to resources in one's own language and having someone that understands their needs. She grew up in the Tacoma area, and is very passionate about serving the community. Outside of work, Rosario enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking, and having a good cup of coffee!

Emily Poncik
(she/her)

Program Director, Family Connects Pierce County
Emily oversees the Family Connects program in Pierce County, which provides nurse visits to families of newborns. She is a proud foster mama who is passionate about surrounding new parents with a community support system, with hopes to reduce the incidence of child welfare involvement in Pierce County. When not trying to save the world, Emily is an outdoor enthusiast who spends her free time exploring new trails with her wife and son, traveling the world, long-distance cycling, and drinking copious amounts of coffee.

Taylor Caragan, MPH
(she/her)

Health Integration Manager, First 5 FUNdamentals

*Health Provider Voice Action Team Lead*
Taylor firmly believes that her practice is her passion. As Health Integration Manager, working with perinatal, early childhood, and family healthcare providers in Pierce County and across the state, Taylor helps facilitate systems change and resource connection. Taylor received her Bachelors of Science in Public Health, and her Masters in Public Health with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. In her regular life she loves reading, tending to her houseplants, and spending time with her family and animals.

Cathy Brady, MPH
(she/her)

Program Analyst, Tacoma-Pierce Co. Health Department

*Data Action Team Lead*
Cathy earned her BA in Humanities from Washington State University. She has several years of professional experience in the financial industry, but her passion to help others led her to pursue a Masters of Public Health from Benedictine University. Cathy understands the importance of nurturing family relationships through her lived experience and strongly believes in the value of normalizing the need for parent support and education. In her previous role, she provided support for various programs at the Eastside Family Support Center. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, painting with watercolors, playing chess, and spending time with her husband, sons, and rescue dog.

Timieka Travis
(she/her)

Equity and Community Alignment Manager

Equity Action Team Lead

Timieka Travis leads our Equity Action Team and oversees First 5 FUNdamentals internal equity processes. Timieka also works part-time as the Program Support Specialist for Family Connects with Answers Counseling. While she will be busy juggling her multiple part-time roles (and being mom to a newborn and a toddler!), she is an incredibly gifted advocate for the community.

Dennise Cervantes
(she/her)

South Sound 211 Supervisor

Resource Navigation and Access Team Lead

Dennise Cervantes is the South Sound 211 supervisor and oversees the work of the Family Resource Navigators at United Way of Pierce County. She has worked in different roles for the South Sound 211 program over the last 13 years. From working on the 211-front line as an Information & Referral specialist to a specialized program management role in transportation and eventually contact center supervisor, she has gained new perspectives and knowledge from her work in Pierce County.

She grew up in Southern California but when she came to Tacoma to attend Pacific Lutheran University, she began to call Washington home. Outside of work, she loves reading and watching hockey, GO KRAKEN!