Explore the latest news and updates from First 5 San Mateo County, including our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. Learn about the importance of Head Start and impacts in San Mateo County, and read more about how we’re reflecting on the importance of Mental Health Awareness month.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month – a time to reflect on the importance of caring for our mental well-being, especially as parents and caregivers. When we prioritize our own mental health, we’re better equipped to nurture the emotional and social development of the children in our lives. Mental health
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
First 5 San Mateo County is excited to welcome Colleen Chawla as our newest commissioner! With a distinguished career in public health leadership and a deep commitment to equity and community well-being, Colleen brings invaluable expertise to our work supporting young children and families. Colleen currently serves as the chief
First 5 San Mateo County is thrilled to welcome Hanish Rathod as our newest commissioner! With a deep commitment to education, a passion for community service, and an impressive background in strategy and operations, Hanish brings invaluable expertise to our mission of ensuring every child in San Mateo County thrives.
First 5 San Mateo County is honored to welcome Jackie Speier as our newest commissioner! A lifelong public servant and fearless advocate for families, Jackie brings decades of leadership and dedication to improving the lives of children and families in our community. Currently representing District 1 on the San Mateo
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
Explore the latest news and updates from First 5 San Mateo County! Inside, read 5 takeaways about the state of young children and how they’re informing our strategic plan. Plus, take a look at our 25 Years of Impact timeline and get updates on San Mateo County’s UPK plan.
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,
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
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
Explore the latest news and updates from First 5 San Mateo County! Inside, read about how we’re helping put empathy into action, a new resource for parents to support early reading, and how Build Up is taking action on climate change.
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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.
