[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 102 (Monday, June 12, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E547-E548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO DR. VAN DO-REYNOSO--CALIFORNIA'S 24TH CONGRESSIONAL WOMAN OF 
                                THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. SALUD O. CARBAJAL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 12, 2023

  Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, each year, through the Women of the Year 
Award, my office extends special recognition to women on the Central 
Coast who have made a difference in our community. I would like to 
recognize one outstanding Women of the Year Award recipient, Dr. Van 
Do-Reynoso of Santa Barbara, California.
  Dr. Van Do-Reynoso is an exemplar of public service, both as a 
professional and as a volunteer, and as a health equity professional 
who has led the Santa Barbara region in advocating for the needs of 
all, but especially of those on the margins. Dr. Do-Reynoso came to 
this country from Vietnam at the age of 9, with an older sibling and no 
English. Nonetheless, she quickly adapted, receiving first a degree 
from UC Santa Cruz, then a Master's from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in 
Public Health from UC Merced.
  Dr. Do-Reynoso has made health equity her mission; it was the reason 
she went into public health, and ultimately why she worked for and 
received her doctorate, all while raising three girls and holding 
increasingly demanding `day jobs' as she rose through the ranks in 
public health, serving in both Madera and Tulare Counties.
  She ultimately ended up as the Public Health Director for Santa 
Barbara County, taking on a demanding, large department that serves a 
wide range of communities.
  Santa Barbara County has one of the highest child poverty rates in 
the state, as well as

[[Page E548]]

large numbers of migrant workers who speak neither English nor Spanish. 
Dr. Do-Reynoso came to ensure that these residents received quality 
services.
  In 2020, when the pandemic hit, Dr. Do-Reynoso rose to the challenge, 
leading the department response to a once-in-a-century global pandemic. 
She did far more than just ensure that the County responded to the need 
for education and services; she spearheaded the creation of the Latinx 
& Indigenous Migrant COVID-19 Response Task Force, which ultimately 
pulled together over 100 governmental and non-profit agencies to 
address health inequities and reach the most at-risk and endangered 
residents of the region.
  She quickly came to be the face of equitable public health on the 
Central Coast. Dr. Do-Reynoso recently moved over to CenCal, to serve 
as Chief Customer Experience Officer. Given her openness to others, her 
collaborative work style, and her commitment to inclusivity, her 
sendoff at the last Board of Supervisors was a tribute to the love and 
respect that all feel for her as a leader, colleague, and friend.
  I am honored to recognize Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, for her exemplary 
leadership during a global pandemic and ensuring the resources and 
information was available to everyone in the Central Coast. I ask all 
Members to join me today in honoring an exceptional woman of 
California's 24th Congressional District, Dr. Van Do-Reynoso, for her 
incredible service to her community.

                          ____________________