Staff
Staff members at SFMB are passionate about what they do.
Ashley Chesney
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & BOARD VICE PRESIDENT
Ashley Chesney is a Survivor Leader, author, and advocate in the Anti-Trafficking Movement. She is an inspiring speaker, an expert trainer, and the Executive Director at SFMB. Additionally, Ashley serves as an alumni member of the CSEC (Commercially Sexually Exploited Children) Advisory Board through the National Center of Youth Law. It is through her own journey, she has found healing that she wants to share with others. Ashley is the author of the memoir “From the Ashes” and she believes that advocacy, connection, and hope are key in guiding other survivors on a path to reclaim their lives after exploitation. She graduated summa cum laude from Cal State University Monterey Bay with her B.A. in Collaborative Health and Human Services from an interdisciplinary program that held emphasis on nonprofit management and social work. Ashley is a sex trafficking survivor turned thriver.
Amber Van Hoose
DIRECTOR OF HOUSING
Amber came to Set Free Monterey Bay as a volunteer. Her passion for the mission of SFMB came long before being on staff. While serving in ministry, she grew a love for kingdom work. She currently attends Grace Christian University, where she’ll graduate with a degree in Human Services. Amber is currently part of the core leadership team at Venture Church and the church plant launch team. She’s an amazing leader and currently oversees children ministries at Venture. Amber is a first-generation believer. She knows what it is like to experience deep loss, what it looks like to have nothing, and have God turn it all around, bring hope, and come out on the other side, living in freedom. Amber is known for her contagious spirit, passion for life, and crazy love for Jesus. She has a way of speaking life into people and pointing them to Jesus. Amber’s favorite title is mom.
Andrea Blanco
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Andrea Blanco, native Californian grew up in Monterey Bay, where she spends most of her time walking on the beach, reading, and hosting friends and family. She is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend to many. Whose passion is for encouraging others to prosper and be their healthiest self.
She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies and a Multiple Subject teaching credential from CSU Monterey Bay. Currently pursuing an Alcohol and other Drug Counseling Certification from Hartnell College. Came from a 12-year career in Student Affairs in Housing at CSU Monterey Bay, serving as a Community Director in Housing and Office manager working in upper division graduate and family housing. Where she was inspired working with students to develop life skills, decision-making abilities and mentorship. Also serves on the online prayer Dream Team with Seacoast Church where she gets to serve globally. In addition has served 2 years as an International Bible Study Fellowship leader, facilitating yearly bible studies. One of her favorite things about serving in this capacity is coming alongside women who are walking with Jesus.
She loves hot chocolate, any coastal village, ocean, concerts, enjoys long drives, fields of flowers, and would love to have a hydrangea garden for days!!
Through prayer and God’s guidance it has led her to work with the SFMB Team! Her passion for working and coming alongside others to champion has propelled her to work in this field.
Antionette Ramirez
ASSISTANT HOUSE MANAGER
Antoinette is a proud mother of four amazing kids who are the light of her life. Her heart of gold and love for others is infectious, her willingness to serve and help those in need is a true testament in what God has done in her life. Her creativity is a true gift, and she loves sharing it with others. She’s part of the First Impression Team at Venture Church, and she enjoys greeting everyone who walks through the doors with a great big smile! She’s a first-generation believer who knows the hardships of life, growing up in a underserved community. She has impacted and changed so many lives and hopes to impact so many more to come.
Ashley Krenke
RESIDENT MENTOR
Ashley first came to Set Free as a resident and ended up our first graduate! As SFMB alumni she is now taking on the role of Assistant House Manager. Welcome to the team Ash!
Ashley is blessed enough to have 4 years in recovery. Recovery is very important to her as she takes N.A. and sponsorship very seriously. All of this is great but it was nothing compared to finding Jesus! Jesus came into Ashley’s life during her stay at SFMB. Ashley is a first-generation believer and we could not be more proud of her! Ashley loves her family and friends. She is a lover of hot Cheetos and if you ever need somebody to lean on she is always around. If you have had the pleasure of meeting Ashley you will see just how resilient she truly is!
Ashley Thompson
RESIDENT ASSISTANT
Ashley Thompson is a blessed wife and mother, whose passion is to see people enter a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. She is a thoughtful artist and the author with a B.A in Biblical studies from Charis Bible college and two A.A’s with honors in English and Humanities from MPC. Ashley is a certified Life Breakthrough coach and a certified in New Testament Leadership from Impact International School of Ministry. She particularly enjoyed the specialty addictions counseling classes during her certification process which she believes helped prepare her to work at SFMB. She is an effervescent worship dancer and often uses her streamer and flags to express her adoration to God. Since 2022, she is the Bible teacher for a private Christian school. She loves candles, flowy dresses, vibrant flowers, big glitter earrings, chai lattes, Christmas lights, the deep, azure water of the Pacific Ocean and chocolate. She eats peanut butter from the jar and her favorite season is Autumn. To find more about Ashley visit: www.NourishmentThroughWords.com.
Tayler Townsend
RESIDENT ASSISTANT
Tayler currently serves at Venture Church in Salinas on the Media & Production team and occasionally sings on stage with the worship team. Through being apart of the dream team at Venture, she experienced God’s presence in new ways and was able to learn about SFMB. Tayler is currently a full time student at Cal State University of Monterey Bay where she has been working on her Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology. She agrees that “every life is precious and deserves to be set free” and knows that it can be accomplished only through Jesus. Tayler has a big heart and loves to be outdoors.
Felicia George
AMBASSADOR: EDUCATION & VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
Felicia lives in Watsonville, CA with her husband, Chris. They have 4 children. She and her husband own a Primerica office which provides financial solutions to families and businesses. In 2013, Felicia started her work as an abolitionist when she started meeting with friends and community members to discuss the realities of human trafficking. This led to her starting her outreach in middle and high schools in 2014. Felicia knew that our youth were being targeted and needed additional resources to protect themselves and their friends. To date, Felicia has spoken to over 8,000 youth and community members in the tri-county area and beyond. Felicia is a founding board member of Set Free Monterey Bay and now serves with our education, outreach and volunteer coordination.
Abby Fitzgerald
INTAKE COORDINATOR
Abby serves as the intake coordinator for both our co-laborers Eden’s Glory and SFMB, and we love working with her! Abby first heard about human trafficking from the Eden's Glory staff during a workshop several years ago. She felt convicted by the Lord to raise awareness of human trafficking where she lived at the time in Decatur, IL. While leading a Set Free team for 5 1/2 years, she organized numerous trainings, community forums, and fundraisers. In 2018, Abby received a Master's degree in counseling from the University of Illinois-Springfield and has counseled clients of all ages in various settings such as a community clinic, foster care agency, and an elementary school. She passionately cares about the marginalized and those that serve them.
Megan Hall
SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Megan has an MAE focused in Curriculum and Instruction and is CAEL-certified in Prior Learning Assessment. She is currently the co-director of Dauntless Grace, a ministry that connects women to a meaningful story through retreats, conferences, and coaching. Through Dauntless Grace, Megan is also a certified enneagram coach and co-hosts a podcast.
Meet the Team
Are you interested in working with us at Set Free Monterey Bay? We are looking for passionate and qualified individuals to join us in the mission to fight human trafficking and create new futures here in Monterey Bay. Check out our open positions available today!
Board of Directors
As board members at SFMB, we are honored to. be working alongside a skilled and motivated staff to further anti-trafficking efforts here in Monterey County.
Jeanine Staton
BOARD PRESIDENT
Jeanine Staton is an SFMB Board Member and a member of SFMB’s executive team as Board Vice President. She is on staff at Calvary Monterey as the Life Groups Director. She also leads the Anti-Trafficking Prayer team through the church, which partners strategically with SFMB's Volunteer Team. In 2021, Jeanine launched the SFMB Ambassador Program that allows volunteers to apply to take on greater responsibility within the organization. Prior to working at Calvary, she spent over 10 years working in education administration, primarily in admissions & student services, focusing on student leadership and program development. She earned her Bachelor's from Syracuse University and Masters of Educational Leadership from Gateway Seminary.
Michael Gilmartin
BOARD TREASURER
Michael has over thirty-seven years of experience as an educator at the community college level. This includes twelve years as an instructor at West Hills Community College in Coalinga, California; eight years there as an associate dean; and seventeen years as a dean at Monterey Peninsula College. He is now retired, lives in Monterey, and volunteers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium among other activities. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and a Master’s Degree in Biology from San Diego State University.
Maddie Noseworthy
BOARD SECRETARY
Maddie Noseworthy has led a variety of ministries including trauma counseling in Uganda, relief work in Haiti, and church planting with All Things New church in Monterey. She currently works as an electronic medical record analyst for Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System. She has two amazing kids and loves to garden.
Molly Lorenzi
EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBER
Molly Lorenzi is a licensed California attorney with an independent practice that brings corporate compliance tools to small businesses and nonprofits, and she is the co-founder of a human resources consulting agency. Molly is passionate about her community and the opportunity to help restore lives and faith by advancing SFMB's mission.
Molly’s personal life is filled with her toddler Stella, husband Luis, and bernedoodle Matilda.
Doug Gutshall
BOARD MEMBER
In 1987 Doug Gutshall graduated from Azusa Pacific University with a BA in Biblical Literature. In 1990 he graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with a MA in Theology. He has been a board member of Shoreline Community Church in Monterey since 2015.
He has been a Children’s Ministry volunteer since 1993, has taught Money Management God’s Way since 2005, and has taught the Walk Thru the Bible discipleship class for the last 20 years. Since 2003 he has also participated in a Men’s Bible Study and weekly feeding the homeless. Doug has worked as an Investment Advisor for Primerica since 1993 and has lived in the Monterey area since 1997. He is a compliance officer and Senior Vice President with Primerica.
He married his wife Ericka in 1996 and together they have 7 children.
Justin Noseworthy
BOARD MEMBER
Justin is the founding Pastor at “All Things New Church” in Monterey and has been involved in local ministry for over 17 years. Justin holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Fuller Theological Seminary and a community development certificate from the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology.
Matthew Ronconi
BOARD MEMBER
Matthew Ronconi is a Set Free Monterey board member and an Orthodontist in Salinas, CA. He received his bachelor’s degree in Food Science from UC Davis, his doctorate degree in dental surgery from UCLA, and his orthodontic specialty certificate from Montefiore Hospital, the teaching Hospital of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He is the president elect for the Monterey Bay Dental Society and raises puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Ana Silvestre
BOARD MEMBER
Ana currently serves as the Director of Marketing Communications for Monte Vista Christian School and is one of the lead pastors at Venture Church in Salinas. The church’s vision to see believers “rise up to freedom in Christ” is a perfect testament to the source of her passion as a board member for Set Free Monterey Bay! Ana also has more than ten years of account management experience, including seven years of leading multi-faceted marketing campaigns and proactive branding strategies, which she gladly contributes to the fight against human trafficking!
REBECCA UPJOHN
BOARD MEMBER
Rebecca Upjohn grew up in Sacramento, CA and is the daughter of a Monterey native. She is a resident faculty member in Stevenson School’s science department and coaches JV softball. She earned a B.S. (2007) and M.S. in Biology (2009) from Texas Christian University then completed her Ph.D. in Ecology (2020) at the University of Wyoming. As an educator, she is passionate about promoting young women from all backgrounds in various fields of science and giving kids hands-on scientific experience that benefits the local community. As a scientist, Rebecca focuses on reversing human-caused ecological damage and restoring God’s creation to function normally. When not working, Rebecca spends time on the beach with her dog, in spin class, or searching for new books and plants.