PRESS RELEASE - Pajaro Valley Health Care District board appoints Emily Balli to fill vacancy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
Feb 26, 2026

Contact: Jennifer Murray 831-515-2802

Balli fills seat left vacant by departure of Dr. Katherine Gabriel-Cox

WATSONVILLE, CA, Feb. 26, 2026 – The Pajaro Valley Health Care District (PVHCD) is pleased to announce its newest board member, Emily Balli, appointed at its board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 25, to fill a vacant seat, following the resignation in January of Board Member Dr. Katherine Gabriel-Cox. 

Balli, who lives in Watsonville, served the County of Santa Cruz Human Services Department for 32 years. She was a board member at Moreland Notre Dame School for six years and currently is on the Board for ISTW Charity and Scholarship, which serves the local Portuguese community. “I’m excited to join the board and plan to focus my energy on maintaining hospital services in Watsonville,” Balli said. “I am a lifelong resident of Watsonville and have seen how critical the hospital is for this community.”

At its Jan. 28, 2026, meeting, the Board voted to recruit and appoint a qualified community member to fill the vacancy through the November 2026 General District Election. Balli will serve the remainder of the 2026 term. The seat will be up for election on the November 2026 ballot for a two-year term through November 2028.

About the Pajaro Valley Health Care District
The Pajaro Valley Health Care District is a public healthcare district formed to ensure continued access to high-quality, equitable healthcare for the Pajaro Valley community. Established in 2022 to help preserve and strengthen local hospital services, the District oversees Watsonville Community Hospital and is governed by a publicly elected five-member board committed to supporting sustainable operations, expanding access to care, and improving community health outcomes. For more information, pvhcd.org. 

About Watsonville Community Hospital 
Watsonville Community Hospital is a public, non-profit community healthcare provider; a 106- bed acute care facility serving Watsonville and the surrounding culturally diverse tri-county area along California’s Central Coast. The hospital offers a wide range of quality medical and surgical services including cardiac care, diagnostic imaging, emergency services, maternity services, orthopedics, pediatrics, rehabilitation services, robotic surgery, urology, vascular surgery, women’s health services, and wound care. With 650 employees and more than 300 physicians, the hospital strives to exceed patient expectations, deliver the highest quality care, and be a place of healing, caring and connection for patients and families in the community we call home.