Women’s History Month staff spotlight: Office of Emergency Services

*San Bernardino County celebrates Women’s History Month.*

In honor of Women’s History Month, San Bernardino County is spotlighting women who drive innovation, champion community well-being, and shape programs and services throughout various county departments.

Crisanta Gonzalez

For Crisanta Gonzalez, director of emergency services for San Bernardino County, a career in emergency management was not something she initially planned, but it has become her life’s work and passion.

As a single mother, she navigated the challenges of balancing work and family while building a career in blue-collar industries. She started as a heavy equipment operator in open-pit gold mining, a male-dominated field where she quickly learned the importance of safety, teamwork and preparation—skills that would later become the foundation of her success in emergency management.

When gold prices dropped, Gonzalez transitioned into government work, spending 16 years with the state of California in various roles. During her time working at the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Oroville Dam, she was first introduced to the Incident Command System (ICS), State Emergency Management System (SEMS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) protocols, which are critical frameworks for emergency response. Her experience in planning and training at the dam, assigned as additional duties, revealed that emergency management coordination came naturally to her.

She was later promoted to a training officer position for DWR, leading statewide efforts to ensure agencies understood their roles within ICS, SEMS and emergency management operations. As her career progressed in DWR, Gonzalez was again promoted to a manager at the flood operations center, where she supported statewide efforts in disaster response, particularly during former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Golden Guardian exercise for flooding, a large-scale emergency preparedness drill designed to test the coordination and response capabilities of various agencies in handling a catastrophic flood scenario.

Her final state role was as a manager in business operations for the State Controller’s Office, where she was assigned to the continuity of operations planning team, which helped ensure that the state could continue issuing payroll and benefits in the event of a disaster. These experiences deepened her expertise and set the stage for her continuing leadership roles in emergency management.

Gonzalez eventually transitioned to the city of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department (LA EMD), where she spent seven years overseeing some of the largest and most complex emergency responses in the country. She was a lead emergency manager for major events such as the Super Bowl, the Summit of the Americas, and large-scale wildfires. These experiences reinforced her ability to bring together agencies, coordinate large-scale logistics, and execute effective emergency response plans.

Gonzalez is currently responsible for coordinating disaster response efforts and ensuring that emergency plans are in place across the county. She has already led responses to strong wind events, wildfires, and other emergencies, putting her extensive experience into action to protect the residents of San Bernardino County.

Gonzalez continues to balance her career with a deep connection to her family, including her four children and their beloved dogs. She attributes her resilience and adaptability to her late mother, a strong and independent woman who, in turn, was shaped by her own father’s lessons in self-reliance. Raised on a ranch in Mexico, Gonzalez’s mother was taught from a young age that education and perseverance were essential for shaping her own future—values she passed on to her own children.

Beyond her family, Gonzalez is dedicated to mentoring and empowering future emergency managers and public servants. She has led internship programs and training initiatives, including launching the HERricane Camp in Los Angeles, which has helped several participants secure careers in emergency management and public sector communications, including Amy Lozano, executive assistant to the Los Angeles County fire chief, and Carmina de Santiago, public health liaison at LA EMD. One former participant, Meryland Gonzalez, is now a sponsored boxer for the 2028 Olympics.

Inspired by strong female mentors, including Carol Parks, general manager at LA EMD, Thalia Polychronis, a former mayoral aide for the city of Los Angeles, and Sherri Sarro, the assistant director of response, south at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Gonzalez believes that leadership in emergency management extends beyond disaster response. For her, it is about fostering relationships, strengthening communities, and ensuring agencies are prepared before a crisis occurs.

Klasha Ray

For Emergency Services Officer Klasha Ray, service has always been a calling.

A dedicated public servant with a background in both emergency management and healthcare administration, Ray’s career is a testament to her passion for helping others, particularly in their most challenging moments.

A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, she spent six years stationed across the globe, including Illinois, Maryland, Korea and Hawaii, before transitioning to public service roles in Tennessee. There, Ray worked for the state’s Medicaid program and negotiated contracts for long-term care providers, utilizing her degrees in legal studies and healthcare administration to ensure that critical services reached older adults in need.

She longed to return to her home state of California and later joined San Bernardino County’s Office of Emergency Services, where she has played a pivotal role in disaster response and recovery efforts for the past seven years. She coordinated multi-department and organization disaster relief efforts and served as the emergency manager for the city of Upland under a partnership between the city and County Fire.

Now in an acting supervisor role, she continues to oversee the management of emergency community resource events, including local assistance centers, family assistance centers, and emergency repatriation efforts, which bring U.S. citizens home during international crises. Ray’s work is often at the intersection of disaster and human resilience, ensuring that individuals facing crises—from wildfires to earthquakes—receive immediate support.

Ray’s dedication to both her work and her family remains unwavering. Having experienced extended deployments, including a month-long assignment to stand up and support a recovery center in Trona following the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquakes, she deeply appreciates her husband and children who provide extra support in their home life and play a critical role in helping Ray excel professionally during extended emergency activations.

Ray credits her late mother as her first mentor and role model, noting that her mother was her biggest supporter, continually nurturing her skills and interests. She also acknowledges two influential women from her time in Tennessee state government, Jenny Phillips and Yvette Garnett, who played significant roles in her career advancement by recognizing her talents and supporting her advancement.

For Ray, the most rewarding aspect of her job is witnessing the direct impact her work has on residents experiencing crises. Knowing that her efforts bring comfort and support during someone’s most challenging moments reinforces her commitment to public service.

Carrie Cruz

For nearly three decades, Carrie Cruz has dedicated her career to public service, shaping the landscape of emergency management and currently serves as an emergency services officer with the Office of Emergency Services (OES).

Her passion is not just about responding to disasters—it’s about building resilience, educating communities, and strengthening the very systems that protect San Bernardino County, the largest county in the nation.

While she did not originally plan a career in emergency management, it ultimately became her calling, driving her to protect and support communities in times of crisis. Her dedication to public service was inspired early on by strong female role models.

Growing up, Cruz witnessed the leadership of her grandmother, who served as the first female mayor of the city of Santa Fe Springs and remained on the city council for four decades. Her grandmother’s unwavering principles left a lasting impression, reinforcing the importance of serving the community with integrity. Equally influential was her mother, a single parent who balanced work and the pursuit of a college degree while raising a family. She demonstrated resilience and self-reliance, qualities that have guided Cruz throughout her career in public service.

After she graduated from college, Cruz began her career in local government with the city of Santa Fe Springs, initially working in municipal recreation before being promoted into an administrative role with the Santa Fe Springs Police Department. Emergency management became part of her responsibilities, and over time, she realized how critical it was to prepare communities before disasters struck. The profession demands the ability to anticipate worst-case scenarios while ensuring that residents and local agencies have the tools and knowledge to respond effectively.

Her career was not without challenges. While serving as the emergency manager for the city of Pomona, her position was eliminated due to budget cuts. Rather than seeing this as an end, she used it as an opportunity to grow, joining San Bernardino County’s OES, where she has since built a reputation as a knowledgeable and dedicated leader over the last 14 years.

Cruz plays a vital role in training the next generation of emergency services officers, passing down the knowledge she has accumulated over nearly 30 years in the field. She has also played a key role in strengthening emergency response efforts, leading OES’s planning and intelligence section to ensure that accurate, vetted information is provided to county departments and the public during emergencies.

Beyond emergency response, she has been a driving force in creating the Department Emergency Operations Plan (DEOP), a countywide initiative that helps departments establish continuity plans. This ensures that vital services remain operational even in the face of significant disruptions. By working closely with various county departments, Cruz has helped reinforce the idea that every department plays a role in emergency preparedness, not just those directly responsible for disaster response.

Cruz’s personal experiences have further shaped her perspective on emergency management. While on vacation in Cancun, she lived through Hurricane Wilma. Initially underestimating the severity of the storm, she found herself in a shelter with no running water and limited supplies for five days. Experiencing a disaster firsthand underscored the importance of personal responsibility and community preparedness, reinforcing her commitment to educating others on the need to be proactive rather than reactive when disasters occur.

She has seen the impact that well-informed residents and organizations can have in ensuring a more effective disaster response. For Cruz, success is measured not only by large-scale emergency operations, but also by the smaller victories—such as when individuals take preparedness training, participate in Community Emergency Response Team (CERT programs), or make emergency plans for their families.

Today, Cruz continues to be a role model, mentoring the next generation of emergency management professionals and empowering community members to protect themselves and their neighbors in times of crisis.

With strong support from the Board of Supervisors and the county executive team and under the leadership of director Crisanta Gonzalez, OES has entered a new era of strength and preparedness.

Brianna Viteri

Brianna Viteri is a media specialist for the Office of Emergency Services (OES). Her career and humanitarian work reflect her deep commitment to serving others and the power of embracing unexpected opportunities. She graduated from Cal State San Bernardino with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing, initially uncertain about her career path. Throughout college, Viteri considered working in education or social work before ultimately gravitating toward marketing.

Drawn to its creative aspects, she developed skills in photography, videography and social media management, eventually turning those interests into a professional pursuit.

After graduating during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Viteri secured a position with a small, woman-owned marketing company. For two years, she honed her expertise in brand management, event coordination and social media management. Despite Viteri’s success, she sought a new challenge and a role that would push her beyond her comfort zone. An unexpected job posting with OES caught Viteri’s attention, aligning with her marketing background while offering an opportunity to serve the community in a meaningful way.

Stepping into the role of a media specialist and public information officer (PIO) within emergency management introduced Viteri to an entirely new field of crisis communication, preparedness education, and rapid-response messaging. Through emergency activations, training and fieldwork, Viteri quickly became a vital part of OES’ efforts to ensure accurate and timely information reaches residents during disasters. Beyond crisis response, she takes pride in fostering community relationships, leading outreach initiatives like deploying the OES seismic simulator, and breaking down language barriers to make emergency preparedness more accessible for residents. She goes beyond translating OES communications by ensuring they are culturally relevant, clear and tailored to diverse communities.

Her work is an extension of her deep-rooted commitment to service. Beyond her role, she has devoted years to humanitarian efforts, traveling annually with her local church group to countries like Bolivia, Haiti, Mexico and Honduras. Whether helping to build schools and churches or providing direct aid to underserved communities, these experiences have not only deepened her understanding of connection and trust—values she brings to her work with the county—but have also taught her to look beyond her own needs and focus on how she can uplift and support others.

Viteri draws strength from the women in her life, including her mother and sisters, and especially her grandmother, whose resilience, wisdom, and kindness have shaped her both personally and professionally, offering comfort and peace whenever she seeks guidance. Within the county, she is grateful for the mentorship and encouragement of female leaders such as OES Director Crisanta Gonzalez who have empowered her to take on new challenges with confidence.

Additional County Update News – March 20, 2025