Blue Zones Project Coachella: Meet the Team

Coachella is making a tangible move towards a healthier future with Blue Zones Project up and running. This initiative, drawing insights from the blue zones regions of the world whose residents have experienced remarkable healthy longevity, aims to integrate healthier choices into the systems, policies and places that influence the daily lives of all residents. The goal is straightforward: improve well-being, reduce health care costs, and strengthen community ties by making healthy choices easier (or even unavoidable). It’s not about individual programming or individual behavior change; it’s about building a culture and a place where longevity and good health are a natural outcome of how the city is designed and how its residents live.

This effort is part of a broader Riverside County effort with other Blue Zones initiatives in Palm Springs, Banning, Riverside and Mead Valley. The effort brings together a diverse group of public and private sponsors committed to improving the region’s well-being, including Riverside University Health System Public Health, Inland Empire Health Plan Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Molina Healthcare, Eisenhower Health, Riverside County and all the respective cities.

In Coachella, a dedicated full-time team is spearheading Coachella’s Blue Zones Project journey:

Angela Zepeda, Executive Director: Angela leads the team and oversees the implementation of Blue Zones Project and the Blueprint which will guide the work. For ten years, Angela served as the Coachella elected city clerk and has deep experience in public administration and strategic planning.

Job Huerta, Organizations & Well-Being Lead: Job works with employers, local businesses, schools and civic organizations to become part of the Blue Zones Project movement. He brings a collaborative approach to community transformation with his background in policy advocacy, voter engagement and governmental affairs.

Jesus Ahkin Gonzalez, Public Policy Lead: Jesus will focus on working with the community to create systemic, sustainable well-being impact with policy optimization. He leverages his background in legislative strategy and policy change from his experience in both the California Legislature and county government.

Cassandra Teran, Community Engagement Lead: Cassandra focuses on connecting with residents directly, empowering them to actively participate and shape Blue Zones Project in Coachella. Cassandra has over 20 years of experience in community engagement and community-building, including 14 years with the Torres Martinez Tribal TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and seven years with FIND Food Bank.

Stay tuned for information about the community-wide celebration for Coachella, which will take place in the fall. In the meantime, the work has begun with events like June’s screening of the Netflix series “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.”

Blue Zones Project Palm Springs Kickoff

Palm Springs launched its Blue Zones Project with a community kickoff event on Thursday, May 15, at Festival Theaters. This public debut signaled the start of the transformative effort to embed healthier choices into the fabric of the city, making them easy and accessible for all residents.

Dan Buettner, Jr., EVP and chief development officer of Blue Zones, gave the keynote speech, highlighting the original Blue Zones research and the way Blue Zones Project applies that research to create healthier, happier communities.

The event featured remarks from community leaders, including Palm Springs Mayor Pro Tem Naomi Soto, who underscored the city’s commitment to the project’s long-term success, and Martin Massiello, President and CEO of Eisenhower Health, one of the project’s key partners. Attendees also had the opportunity to meet the dedicated local Palm Springs team and national Blue Zones leaders at a reception following the presentation. The kickoff was a powerful demonstration of the community’s readiness to embrace this multi-year plan for a healthier, more vibrant Palm Springs.

Get involved, learn more and stay in touch at www.bluezonesprojectcoachella.com and www.bluezonesprojectpalmsprings.com.