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Author: LauraBowen

March Newsletter: Welcome to Our New Commissioners + Home Visiting Update

Explore the latest news and updates from First 5 San Mateo County, including introductions to our three new commissioners. Learn about a recent oral health screening session led by Sonrisas Dental Health at Hillside Child Development Program in South San Francisco, and read an update on San Mateo County’s Home Visiting System Coordination.

Caring for Little Teeth

Oral health plays an important role in a child’s physical health, school success, and self-esteem. When children have tooth pain and decay, they miss important parts of being a kid! Playing, paying attention in school, sleeping, and eating are important parts of your child’s development. As baby teeth grow in, it’s important to know how […]

Tips and Resources Related to Immigration and ICE

Here are some helpful tips about ICE activity and response in San Mateo County, provided by San Mateo County’s Office of Community Affairs. ICE has been doing operations and always have been – but they are targeted enforcement for specific people. Call the Rapid Response Hotline to verify or report ICE activity at 203-666-4472 or […]

The State of Young Children and Families in San Mateo County

Over the past few months, we’ve been busy planning the next five years for First 5 San Mateo County. Our community has been such important partners in that and we can’t wait to share what we’ve learned with you! This summer, we spent a lot of time hearing from families, providers, partners, and members of […]

Learning in Community: Planning for the Next 5 Years of First 5

It’s the year 2030, and you are looking around San Mateo County’s diverse communities and neighborhoods. What looks different for children prenatal to five and their families?  We are trying to answer this, and many other questions, through our strategic planning refresh process. And we are not trying to answer these questions alone!  In our […]

25 Years of Impact

toddler stands in an indoor playhouse holding a toy

For a quarter of a century, First 5 San Mateo County has been proud to be a leader, partner, and investor working on behalf of young children and families in our county. That’s right–it’s our 25 year anniversary, an incredible milestone in our history. From our early investments in children’s health and development, to our […]

Nurturing Diversity: Paving the Way for Black Excellence in Early Childhood Education.

A loving black family of 3: dad holds their baby while mom wraps her arms around them, creating a heartwarming embrace.

Read our full Nurturing Diversity series: 1. Celebrating the Power of Black Caregivers in Early Childhood. 3. County and Public Leadership’s Vital Role in Addressing This Challenge! As we continue Black History Month, it’s important to shed light on the challenges that persist for many Black children during their early years. The landscape of early childhood education (ECE) […]

Introducing Claire Cunningham to the First 5 San Mateo County Commission 

We at First 5 San Mateo County (F5SMC) are so excited to welcome our newest commissioner, Claire Cunningham, to the team. She brings a wealth of experience and passion for the well-being of children and families.  Claire shared insights into her background, inspirations, and hopes for the future with us, shedding light on how her […]

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Headshot of Kitty Lopez

Kitty Lopez has served as the Executive Director of First 5 San Mateo County since 2013, focusing on strategic investing, community leadership, policy and advocacy development for young children, 0-5, and their families.

Kitty has served as Co-Chair of the Advisory Body for Build Up for San Mateo County Children’s Initiative, with Board of Supervisor, Dave Pine, since 2018.  Congressman Kevin Mullin is Honorary Co-Chair.  This initiative was established to preserve, grow, and increase the number of early care sites in San Mateo County.  

Kitty previously served as the Executive Director of Samaritan House, one of San Mateo County’s leading Core Service Agencies and safety-net nonprofits serving low-income families and individuals with food, shelter, clothing, health care, counseling, education classes, and holiday assistance from 2002 to 2013. 

Kitty taught kindergarten, second grade, and high school in southern California and San Francisco and was a consultant in schools with children who have autism and special needs. Additionally, Kitty worked in a residential substance abuse treatment center in San Francisco and psychiatric hospital for children and youth in San Diego.  Kitty’s roots in supporting children began as a 16-year-old volunteer at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles where she taught swimming to children and adults with visual impairments.

She attended University of California Santa Barbara earning a California Teaching Credential and B.A in Psychology. Kitty is active in her community serving as Vice Chair of the San Mateo County Event Center, and Past President and Current Member of the San Mateo Rotary Club.  She is currently serving as Past President of the First 5 Association of California. On March 2022, Assembly Speaker pro Tem Kevin Mullin selected Kitty Lopez as the 2022 Assembly District 22 Woman of the Year.