Ciel Benedetto got the calling to community activism as a young teenager when she was recruited by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to work on the Grape Boycott in New York. She worked in Mental Health, attended UC Santa Cruz and then became the Executive Director of the Woman's Health Center, an iconic health center focused on women's liberation and health. Under Ciel's leadership the clinic expanded the scope of health services to serve more community members in Santa Cruz. After the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989, Ciel served on the Santa Cruz Council's committee to rebuild the city after the earthquake. Ciel continues her activism in voter access and protection and is a mentor to many young people.
Ciel started her activism as a young person during the United Farmworkers Grape Boycott. Her commitment to justice and racial equality has been her driving force throughout her careers.
Ciel worked in Mental Health and witnessed the devastating impact of Mental illness prior to the new treatments and new medications. This experience forged her interest in health care and she subsequently became the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Woman's Health Center in Santa Cruz, California where she led the clinic's expansion and development.
Ciel became a health leader in the rebuilding of Santa Cruz after the Loma Prieta Earthquake which destroyed a large part of the downtown area of Santa Cruz.
Ciel continues her activism supporting voter access and is a thought leader and mentor in the Santa Cruz area.