Cristina Martinez

Cristina Martinez, MD. Current Medical Director/CEO of the Salinas Valley Emergency Medical Group and Chair of the Emergency Department. Dr. Martinez attended UCSF School of Medicine and completed residency at Highland Hospital in Oakland where she was Chief Resident. She joined SVH in 2015 and during her tenure she has been involved with multiple committees including the Critical Care committee, the Medical Staff Excellence Committee,  Pharmacy & Therapeutics and the Culturally Sensitive Care Committee. Dr. Martinez also served as the Medical Director for the Monterey County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) from 2018 through 2022. Innovative projects include designing and making reusable intubation and transport tents to reduce exposure to COVID and enhance the safety of our healthcare team. She worked with the SVH media department to make Spanish public service announcements regarding COVID. Community outreach includes being a physician director for the CSUMB student run Otter Spa Homeless Clinic. She also established the SVEMG Medical Education Scholarship for scribes, CSUMB students and SVH employees pursuing graduate medical programs. She is passionate about teaching and working with our new grad nurses and instructing paramedic students in advanced airway techniques.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Martinez loves hiking, snowboarding, backpacking and world travel. And she really enjoys doing all the hands-on work of renovating her house with her awesome big brother.