Serving all California. Based out of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties.
Credible Messenger Network
Danny Contreras
Danny is a proven leader, credible messenger, sought after speaker, gang expert, and a boots-on-the-ground advocate for change. As Health Services Manager for the County of Santa Cruz for the past 10 years, he oversees the award-winning Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program across all county clinics, managing multi-million-dollar grants and driving innovation in addiction care.
With over 30 years of lived expertise, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and multiple high-honors certifications in drug and alcohol counseling, Danny brings both academic knowledge and real-world experience to the table.
Danny was awarded the 2017 County of Santa Cruz Gold Award, the highest honor within the Health Services Agency, for his leadership in developing and implementing the MAT program. He later received the Barrios Unidos Ernesto Macias Barela Resilience Award, was nominated in 2022 for the County Award of Excellence, he was honored with the 2024 Community Impact Award by the Santa Cruz Monterey Medical Foundation for his direct service and community leadership, and in 2026 his MAT team was nominated and won the County Award of Excellence for 2025.
“Hurt people hurt people—but healed people heal people.”
Danny embodies that truth, creating space for others to heal, rise, and reclaim their futures.
Sam Cunningham
Sam is a husband, father, mentor, and a living testimony to redemption. Born and raised in Los Angeles and now rooted in Seaside & Salinas.
Today, Sam works as a Program Director at Barrios Unidos in Santa Cruz, guiding men and women transitioning from prison back into the community. He also leads a grassroots mentoring program in Seaside called “I Am My Brother’s Keeper,” working closely with youth referred by schools, probation, and the Seaside Police Department, especially those growing up without a positive male role model.
Sam sits on the Executive Board of Partners for Peace and Empathy in Action, where he contributes to marketing efforts and helps shape family centered solutions. His passion is rooted in service: “I’ve dedicated my life so no young man or woman has to experience 30 years in prison like I did and so no mother has to hear that her child has been killed.”
His journey is not just about second chances it’s about purpose. Sam’s story brings healing, inspiration, and truth to every space he enters. He lives by the words of Gandhi:
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
Despite his tough exterior, Sam is known for his heart. Whether he’s shooting hoops with local youth, mentoring teens in crisis, or simply being present, Sam leads with compassion.
Gilbert Bao
Gilbert is a gang expert, powerful speaker, SUD counselor, mental health provider, youth advocate, and gifted artist. He’s committed to gang intervention and prevention by sharing his life story and truth with youth throughout the community.
Gilbert’s impact doesn’t stop at mentorship he’s also a talented muralist and artist, using his creative gifts to inspire, heal, and tell stories that matter. His artwork speaks to struggle, resilience, and cultural pride, often becoming a visual extension of the message he delivers in his outreach.
He co-hosts the “Gray Area” podcast, where raw conversations spark insight, connection, and community growth.
Whether through art, advocacy, or testimony, Gilbert gives youth the truth and the tools to choose a different path and create something real with their lives.
Mark Escobedo
Mark is a shining example of what transformation looks like when mentorship meets opportunity. After serving time in prison, Mark connected with KEYS 2 LIFE, where he was mentored and supported during his reentry journey. He enrolled at Cabrillo College and began rebuilding his life from the inside out.
Mark quickly stepped into service, starting as a Case Manager at the Santa Cruz Homeless Services Center, where his dedication and leadership propelled him into the role of Program Manager, overseeing key programs like Page Smith Community House and the Rebele Family Shelter. Today, Mark works as a Community Health Worker, where he continues to serve those most in need with compassion and lived experience.
For years, Mark has been a dedicated member of the KEYS 2 LIFE team, speaking at school assemblies and Joven Noble circles, and mentoring youth through storytelling and truth. His life is rooted in giving back, so others can find a better path, just like he did.
Mark’s story is a reminder that healing is possible, growth is real, and leadership can rise from any place when the right doors are opened.
Joe Price
Joe's journey is one of redemption, resilience, and purpose. Once a superstar athlete at Seaside High and Hartnell College, Joe’s life took a devastating turn as addiction, rooted in deep personal trauma, pulled him away from everything he loved. After the tragic loss of his daughter to violence and the passing of his mother, Joe fell deeper into addiction, eventually landing on the streets of Chinatown in Salinas and later in prison.
But even behind bars, Joe began his comeback. He committed to recovery and started building a new vision for his life. Today, with over 20 years of sobriety, Joe is a respected leader and voice of hope in the recovery community.
In 2015, he was honored with the Robert E. Neff Award for his outstanding service and contributions to recovery efforts throughout the region. Joe continues to share his story to inspire others showing that no matter how far someone falls, healing and transformation are always possible.
Jerry Morales
Jerry is the pastor of Victory Outreach Santa Cruz and a respected community leader born and raised in Castroville. A former teacher and school principal, he brings decades of experience in education, mentorship, and youth development. Pastor Jerry is a powerful and impactful public speaker who mentors individuals through his faith in Jesus Christ, equipping them to grow in purpose, character, and leadership. He regularly partners with the KEYS 2 LIFE team to speak at school assemblies and remains deeply committed to giving back to the community through service, guidance, and faith-based outreach.
Steven King
Steve spent years caught in the cycle of incarceration, addiction, and adversity. But through mentorship, deep self-reflection, and relentless determination, he broke free. Today, he celebrates over 18 years of sobriety and 15 years of dedicated community service, and he’s made it his mission to help others do the same.
Steven holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. His lived experience, paired with his professional training, makes him a powerful mentor, counselor, and speaker. Whether in one-on-one sessions, school assemblies, or community outreach events, Steven shows up with authenticity, insight, and unwavering belief in people’s capacity to change.
He is a true Opportunity Giver, someone who helps others break cycles, rebuild their lives, and believe in a future they may not have seen for themselves. Steven walks the path with those he serves, aiming to be the mentor he once needed: strong, steady, and real.
No matter how far you've fallen, a better path is possible and Steven is proof.
Tomas “Wisper” Talamantes
Tomas is a gifted artist and speaker. He has an art program called Teach Peace where teaches life transformational lessons through his art and mural projects to bring about positive change to people and the community. Tomas provides life coaching and mentors youth in the San Jose Bay Area.
Rey Aguilar
Rey is a dynamic speaker, entrepreneur, mentor, and group facilitator dedicated to transforming lives through education, accountability, and lived experience. As the founder of R TIME Co. (Rehabilitation, Restoration, Recovery & Reconciliation), Rey leads a reentry focused organization committed to supporting justice impacted individuals as they rebuild their lives with purpose, structure, and direction.
In addition to his work in reentry services, Rey is a passionate advocate for entrepreneurship and economic empowerment. He actively mentors individuals in business development, helping them shift their mindset, build legitimate income streams, and create sustainable pathways to success. His approach emphasizes ownership, discipline, and long term vision, equipping others not just to survive, but to thrive.
With a powerful presence and authentic voice, Rey connects deeply with youth and adults navigating challenges related to reentry, identity, and growth. His facilitation style blends real life experience with practical tools, creating spaces where individuals can reflect, heal, and take accountability for their future.
Rey has led numerous groups and workshops in community and reentry settings, focusing on behavior change, decision making, emotional intelligence, and leadership development. Known for his ability to engage and inspire, he delivers a message rooted in transformation, resilience, and second chances.
Through his leadership at R TIME Co. and his role within the Keys 2 Life Credible Messengers Network, Rey Aguilar continues to be a driving force in helping individuals transition from survival mode to purpose driven living, demonstrating that with the right guidance, mindset, and opportunity, lasting change is possible.
Go subscribe to his H.O.P.E Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/mx/podcast/h-o-p-e/id1548620955y
Josh Contreras
He serves as a Program Coordinator with the County of Santa Cruz Housing for Health Program, where he works directly with individuals facing housing instability, behavioral health challenges, and barriers to stability. In this role, he helps coordinate housing placements, connect clients to essential services, and support long-term success through structured, relationship-based care.
As part of the KEYS 2 LIFE Credible Messengers Network, Josh brings a strong, grounded presence to the young men in the program. He leads by example, demonstrating consistency, accountability, and professionalism while building real relationships rooted in trust and respect. His ability to connect with individuals from all backgrounds allows him to meet participants where they are and challenge them to grow.
Josh’s commitment to the community has been recognized with the 2026 Hero for Community Award from Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, highlighting his impact in supporting and uplifting others.
At KEYS 2 LIFE, Josh represents the caliber of leadership and mentorship that surrounds each resident, individuals who not only understand the work, but live it. He is dedicated to helping participants build structure, develop life skills, and move forward with purpose.
Credible Messengers re a group of REAL OG's who have been to hell and back. There is a saying that says, "Hurt people, hurt people...but Healed people, Heal people!" These Opportunity Givers (OG's) bring healing and HOPE to all they speak to. They will give you the Keys 2 Life that will transform your life.