On the heels of Women’s History Month, two women from the Central Valley are gaining well-deserved recognition for their transformative leadership. Shantay R. Davies-Balch and Nayamin Martinez have been named recipients of the 2025 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award—an honor that underscores their tireless efforts to advance maternal health and environmental justice in some of the state’s most underserved communities.
The annual award recognizes innovative leaders whose work is transforming California’s future, with a particular focus on addressing the state’s most pressing challenges. Each recipient’s organization will receive a $350,000 grant to accelerate their impactful work.
This year’s award recipients reflect the depth of resilience and innovation coming out of the Central Valley, a region often overlooked despite being the backbone of California’s agricultural economy and home to some of the state’s most vulnerable communities.
Davies-Balch and Martinez are tackling two timely and critical issues—environmental justice and maternal health—and their work is setting a blueprint for systemic change.
Championing Environmental Justice for Farmworkers
Nayamin Martinez, executive director of the Central California Environmental Justice Network (CCEJN), is a powerful advocate for the rural farmworker communities of the Central Valley.
Martinez’s work focuses on protecting these communities from pollution and climate-related hazards—issues that disproportionately affect low-income families and communities of color.
Farmworkers in the Central Valley face exposure to dangerous pesticides, poor air quality and extreme heat—conditions that pose severe health risks but have long gone ignored by regulators. Under Martinez’s leadership, the CCEJN has mobilized farmworkers to testify at legislative hearings, drawing attention to these injustices and spurring action from state agencies.
In 2024, the CCEJN co-organized a legislative hearing where farmworker testimonies helped push the state to audit Cal/OSHA’s enforcement of workplace safety laws. This effort marked a significant step toward ensuring better protections for farmworkers facing dangerous working conditions.
“Our goal is to give farmworkers a voice and the power to advocate for their rights,” Martinez said. “For too long, their stories have gone ignored—we’re changing that.”
Martinez’s grassroots approach combines direct advocacy with systemic change. The CCEJN provides training to farmworkers, empowering them to document and report environmental violations, and collaborates with policymakers to strengthen enforcement and accountability.
The Irvine Foundation grant will enable the CCEJN to expand these initiatives and strengthen partnerships with state agencies and environmental organizations.
Advancing Black Maternal and Infant Health
Shantay R. Davies-Balch, the CEO of the BLACK Wellness and Prosperity Center (BWPC) in Fresno, has made it her mission to reduce alarming disparities in Black maternal and infant health outcomes. Black women in California face a maternal mortality rate that is three to four times higher than that of white women—a stark health crisis that Davies-Balch is determined to change.
Under her leadership, the BWPC has created a rigorous doula training program that has tripled the number of Black doulas serving Fresno County. This culturally competent workforce not only supports mothers during pregnancy and childbirth but also advocates for systemic changes within healthcare institutions to address racial bias and improve maternal care.
Her work extends beyond the delivery room.
The BWPC also partners with local health systems and policymakers to implement broader structural changes, including improved access to prenatal care and more comprehensive postpartum support.
The Irvine Foundation grant will allow the BWPC to expand its programs, increase outreach efforts and further influence healthcare policy statewide.
Women Driving Change from the Ground Up
As we reflect on the contributions of women around the world, the work of Martinez and Davies-Balch underscores the importance of investing in community-led solutions and is a testament to the impact and determination of women leaders. Both leaders have built trust within their communities and are working from the ground up to address longstanding disparities in health and environmental justice.
“Each recipient exemplifies leadership qualities vital for advancing progress in our state—through innovation, inclusivity and measurable results,” said Don Howard, president and CEO of the Irvine Foundation.
This recognition brings funding and statewide visibility to the issues that Martinez and Davies-Balch are addressing. Their success sends a clear message that meaningful change happens when communities are empowered to lead—and when the voices of those most affected are centered on the solutions.
