About Us

Our Mission

The mission of the Coalition is to create smoke and tobacco free communities in Sacramento County. We will accomplish this through progressive and equitable policy, system and environmental changes, collaboration, and education to address disparities in disproportionately impacted populations.

Our Vision

The Coalition envisions a world where all are free from the burden of smoke and commercial tobacco products to support safe, healthy, and vibrant communities.

What We Do

The Coalition uses the following strategies to achieve our mission:

  • Advise community members and leaders on local smoke and tobacco free priorities, policies, compliance and equitable enforcement.
  • Share cutting edge information on smoke and tobacco free policy and treatment efforts.
  • Network and build community capacity to make progressive change.
  • Elevate diverse youth and adult voices to lead change in our communities.
  • Collaborate with and foster connections between cities, schools, businesses, public health agencies, community organizations and individuals to end:
    • exposure to secondhand and thirdhand smoke/ aerosol from tobacco and vaping products;
    • all environmental waste associated with tobacco and vaping products;
    • and youth access to tobacco and vaping products.
  • Prevent and respond to the evolving threat of the tobacco industry.
  • Ensure all community members in Sacramento County who want to quit tobacco have access to free and culturally appropriate cessation resources.

Core Values

  • Ambition

    We achieve progressive change through the dedication, passion, and energy of all involved.

  • Collaboration

    We accomplish our goals through strong partnerships and collective strategies.

  • Diversity and Inclusivity

    We embrace the unique value of each person and welcome multiple perspectives in our work.

  • Equity

    We believe that all community members should have fair and just opportunities to be as healthy as possible.

  • Expertise

    We utilize historical community-based knowledge and evidence-based practices.

  • Innovation

    We strive to develop and implement progressive strategies in our work.

  • Social Justice

    We believe that everyone deserves equal rights and opportunities. This includes the right to good health and fair opportunities to attain full health potential and that no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential.

  • Transparency

    We are committed to honest and open communication.

History

Established in 1991 and has been active for more than 30 years!

The Coalition serves as an oversight committee for tobacco control and education programs operating in Sacramento County that are funded by state tobacco tax dollars (Proposition 99, 56, and 10).

Every county health department in California is required to provide staffing and support to their local tobacco control coalition. The Tobacco Education Program serves this role in Sacramento County. The California Tobacco Control Program (CTCP) is responsible for overseeing all county tobacco control work as well as statewide efforts. For resources or to learn more, visit UNDO.org.

Executive Committee

  • Marissa Bashore, MPH, CHES
    Coalition Chairperson and Policy Taskforce Chairperson
    University of California, Davis

    Marissa Bashore, MPH, CHES (she/her) is a Supervisor at the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. She formerly served as the Tobacco Control Programs Director at Breathe California Sacramento Region for over 5 years. Before working at Breathe, Marissa was the UC Smoke- and Tobacco-Free Presidential Fellow at UC Davis, where she received her Master of Public Health degree in Spring 2018. She also has a background in exercise science and promotion through her Kinesiology degree from Cal Poly SLO. In her free time, Marissa enjoys working out, crafting, and spending time with friends, family and her cats Fish and Chip.

  • Rachel Alvarez, MPH, CHES
    Coalition Vice Chairperson
    ETR

    Rachel M. Alvarez, MPH, CHES (she/her/Ella) is the Program Manager for ATOD (alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs) at ETR, where she works on the Tobacco Education Clearinghouse of California (TECC) program. Prior to her work at ETR, Rachel was a Health Educator for ATOD at Sacramento State and held a variety of health promotion positions at the Sacramento Native American Health Center. Rachel has been an active member of the Coalition since 2016. Rachel earned her Master’s in Public Health from the University of San Francisco and also is a Certified Health Education Specialist. In her free time, Rachel enjoys competing on an Outrigger canoe team, reading, and spending time with her partner Greg and their two fur babies, Roxi and Pistachio. Rachel can be found on LinkedIn (Rachel M. Alvarez) or reached via email at rachel.alvarez@etr.org.

  • Kim Homer Vagadori, MPH
    Youth and Young Adult Subcommittee Chairperson
    California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN)

    Kimberlee Homer Vagadori, MPH (she/her) is the Project Director for the California Youth Advocacy Network (CYAN). In tobacco control for 20 years, she is an expert on college tobacco-free policy, youth and young adult advocacy, and tobacco industry sponsorship issues and has successfully coordinated system-wide policy initiatives in California. Kim can be reached via email at kim@cyanonline.org.

  • Kimberly Bankston-Lee
    Historian
    The SOL Project

    Kimberly Bankston-Lee is currently the Senior Program Director of the Saving Our Legacy: African Americans for Smoke-free Safe Places, also known as the SOL Project, established in 2007 with Twlia Laster. The SOL Project advocates for healthy, smoke-free communities for African Americans and other populations who suffer disproportionately as a result of social conditions and tobacco use.

    Ms. Bankston-Lee has been working in tobacco control since 1996, planning, developing and implementing tobacco control programs for non-profits, county government and health care services such as the Gold Country Regional Tobacco Control Coalition, the African American Tobacco Education Partnership, Smoking Cessation Counselor for Sutter Medical Centers, and the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services.

    Ms. Bankston-Lee has worked with restaurateurs, the rental housing industry, community colleges and trade schools, and government agencies to adopt smoke-free policies and ordinances that limit the sale of menthol and flavored tobacco and vape products. She has developed numerous educational materials and campaigns such as policy tool kits, guides for adopting smoke-free policies, pamphlets, brochures and post cards on various tobacco issues and products; and developed TV, radio and social media campaigns to increase awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke, nonsmokers’ rights, and support for smoke-free outdoor policies.

    Ms. Bankston-Lee currently serves as the Historian of the Greater Sacramento Smoke & Tobacco Free Coalition and is a member of the Policy Task Force, Cessation Task Force and Executive Committee. She has previously served as Chair, Co-Chair of the Coalition and several of its committees, including the Policy Task Force, Second Hand Smoke Subcommittee, and Youth/Young Adult Subcommittee.

  • Elisa Tong, MD, MA
    Cessation Taskforce Chairperson
    University of California, Davis

    Elisa Tong, MD, MA is a Professor of Internal Medicine at UC Davis and Medical Director of the Stop Tobacco Program at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is the Project Director for CA Quits, a statewide learning collaborative for tobacco treatment and safety net health systems. Her research interests are in tobacco control policy and cessation with special interests in diverse, underserved populations.

  • Carol Maytum, MPH
    Equity & Diversity Subcommittee Chairperson
    Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)

    Carol Maytum is a dynamic and accomplished professional with almost 30 years of experience working in the public health arena. She brings vast tobacco control experience to her position as Project Director for Advancing Momentum for a Tobacco Free California. Carol was instrumental in passing a comprehensive Smoke, Tobacco and Vape free policy for the Los Rios Community College District, the second largest community college district in California. She currently works on tobacco Endgame initiatives for California at Action on Smoking on Health.