City of Marina City Council Councilmember Cristina Medina Dirksen

UPDATE: Cristina Medina Dirksen resigned from the Marina City Council as of Jan. 28, 2024, leaving with one year left in her term. In her remarks to the council when she announced her resignation, Medina Dirksen wrote, “I am so proud of this body and our community of Marina. Together, we have put in the work to make economic vitality and opportunity possible with support of Joby Aviation and all the businesses that needed to remain alive during Covid.”

The Monterey County Weekly reported on Medina Dirksen’s resignation and noted that she was stepping down because she has a new role that conflicts with her council duties but will “allow me to work on much bigger, transformative issues providing access to vital health solutions and top-tier care in Monterey County and beyond.”

The communications coordinator for the Community Foundation for Monterey County since 2016, Cristina Medina Dirksen was elected to the newly created District 3 council seat in November 2020—the city’s first district election. Formerly a reporter at the Monterey Herald, Dirksen is married to a firefighter and is the mother of triplets. She outlined her top priorities on VotersEdge.org: improved streets and sidewalks; equipping public safety with sufficient resources; supporting business and residents impacted by COVID-19; and bringing high-speed internet to Marina.

Prior to joining the council, Dirksen was president of the Friends of Marina Library and on the board of Marina Youth Arts. Before the election, the District 3 candidate told the Seaside Post, “Marina residents deserve more from their leaders. They deserve to feel confidence that their voice is heard and respected and that someone is fighting to fix their streets, give us better parks/recreational opportunities and support for fire and police.”