As parents, caregivers, and members of the community, we often hear about the importance of early childhood. But what exactly does it mean to invest in the first years of a child’s life, and why is it so crucial? This week, the entire early childhood community is celebrating all of
In the grand finale of our Nurturing Diversity series, we shine a spotlight on an individual whose passion for early childhood education serves as a core theme of our series. Meet Andrea Burnett, a Coordinator, P3 Quality Improvement Initiatives at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE). Andrea’s story
A new paper confirms a central tenet of the ACEs Aware initiative – a trauma-informed environment of care is a crucial foundation for Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) screening. The paper, entitled Clinic Readiness for Trauma-Informed Health Care Is Associated with Uptake of Screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences, was published in
Dive into our newsletter to read about all of our great leadership and everything they have accomplished for children and families lately. Check out our most recent blog series, Nurturing Diversity. Download evergreen early childhood oral health social media content.
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
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,
In the dynamic landscape of early childhood development, First 5 San Mateo County (F5SMC) is proud to welcome a new commissioner, San Mateo County Supervisor, Noelia Corzo, whose personal journey has fueled her commitment to championing the well-being of young children and families. Supervisor Corzo was excited to share her
This is the first post in our Nurturing Diversity series. Read the others: 2. Paving the Way for Black Excellence in Early Childhood Education. 3. County and Public Leadership’s Vital Role in Addressing This Challenge! Think about your favorite book or song— each tells a unique story that has shaped the way you
First 5 San Mateo County funds programs and builds partnerships that support our mission to promote positive outcomes for young children and their families, and foster success for every child. Collecting data through impact evaluations is a huge part of how we make sure that we are actually doing that.
To our amazing San Mateo County Community, As we reflect on the last three years, our hearts swell with gratitude for the unwavering dedication and tireless efforts you’ve contributed to our shared mission: promoting positive outcomes for young children and their families. You have been a pillar of our success,
Years ago, we adopted a focus on bringing REDI–Race, Ethnicity, Diversity, and Inclusion–principles to all of our initiatives, communications, and partnerships. REDI initiatives laid the foundation for addressing issues of racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion. However, as we delved deeper into our equity efforts, we realized that we could
First 5 San Mateo County has been a proud partner of Build Up since their start. MENLO PARK, CALIF. (Oct. 26, 2023) — Build Up San Mateo County (SMC) and Build Up CA have today convened elected officials and early care and education leaders for a site tour of the
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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.
