Kris Perry, Executive Director of First 5 California, understands that California’s future lies in the health and well-being of the state’s youngest children. She has dedicated her career to bringing resources and support to parents, caregivers, and early learning workforce professionals to ensure children grow up healthy and ready to succeed in school and in life.

Since July 2005, Kris has fostered First 5 California’s emergence as one of the most well-known and respected advocates for early childhood development on the state and national levels.

She has been instrumental in developing and steering First 5 California’s five-year strategic planning process, and has streamlined funding priorities through program criteria that are evidence-based and results-driven. She utilizes social media and other online technology to expand First 5 California’s outreach and has taken to the next level highly successful First 5 California programs such as Power of Preschool and the Kit for New Parents.

This visionary leadership has garnered her a delegated appointment as co-chair of the State Early Learning Advisory Council (ELAC) alongside the state’s Secretary of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The Council, established by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, coordinates early learning programs in California and makes the state eligible for millions of dollars in federal funding for early childhood education. Kris also continues her leadership as a member of the California Early Learning Quality Improvement System (ELQIS) Advisory Committee. In this post, she is responsible for recommending a statewide quality improvement system for early learning to improve the quality of preschool and school readiness programs.

In 2008, Kris was invited to Washington, D.C. by the Obama-Biden Transition Team to share her expertise on early education. She has played a pivotal role in bringing the Educare model of early childhood centers to California and serves on the California Health Interview Survey Advisory Board. Kris is also a powerful voice for child advocacy, appearing as a commentator and child development expert on state and national media outlets and leading a broad coalition of stakeholders in Water Cooler Meetings.

Before joining First 5 California, Kris served as Executive Director of First 5 San Mateo County where she implemented cutting-edge programs and led community design groups to develop countywide initiatives, including preschool for all and universal health care. Her dedication to children and their families began at the Alameda County Social Services Agency where she worked for more than 12 years in various capacities, including child abuse investigator, family preservation case manager, and program manager.

She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Masters in Social Work from San Francisco State University. She also completed the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders. Kris is a licensed clinical social worker and a board certified diplomat who holds a postgraduate certificate as a service integration specialist.