Our Board
First 5 LA is guided by its Board of Commissioners who promote, support and improve the early development of children from the prenatal stage to five years of age.
The First 5 LA Board of Commissioners is comprised of 17 members (nine voting, four ex-officio, four alternates). The Board includes voting members appointed by each of the Los Angeles County supervisors and the L.A. County departments of Children and Family Services, Public Health and Mental Health. The Chairman of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors also serves as Chairman of the First 5 LA Commission.
The Board also includes representatives from other educational, children and families organizations throughout the county. The Board of Commissioners meets on the second Thursday of each month at 1:30 p.m. unless otherwise indicated at the First 5 LA offices. All meetings are open to the public and agendas are posted at least 72 hours in advance. Please check our calendar for all updated meeting information and scroll below for Commission meeting packets, summaries, and minutes.
Our Board
Sheila Kuehl
Commission Chair / Los Angeles County Supervisor
Judy Abdo
Commission Vice Chair / Appointed by: Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Third District
Commissioners
Barbara Ferrer
Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Astrid Heppenstall Heger
Appointed by: Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Fifth District
Yvette Martinez
Appointed by: Supervisor Janice Hahn, Fourth District
Jonathan E. Sherin
Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
Romalis J. Taylor
Appointed by: Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Second District
Keesha Woods
Representing: Los Angeles County Office of Education
Marlene Zepeda
Appointed by: Supervisor Hilda Solis, First District
Ex Officio Representatives
Bobby D. Cagle
Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services
Karla Pleitéz Howell
Representing: Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development
Wendy Garen
Appointed by: Supervisor Janice Hahn, Fourth District
Deanne Tilton Durfee
Representing: Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (ICAN)
Commission Alternates
Linda Aragon
Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
Helen Berberian
Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services
Victor Manalo
Appointed by: Supervisor Janice Hahn, Fourth District
Terry Ogawa
Appointed by: Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Third District
Carol Sigala
Appointed by: Supervisor Hilda Solis, First District
Sylvia S. Swilley
Appointed by: Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Second District
Christopher Thompson
Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
Arturo Valdez
Representing: Los Angeles County Office of Education
Commissioners Committee Assignments
Board of Commissioners Committee Assignments 2020
MEETING MATERIALS
All First 5 LA Board and Committee Meeting Agendas are posted online according to open meeting rules (California Brown Act)…
CALENDAR
The Board of Commissioners meets on the second Thursday of each month at 1:30 p.m., unless otherwise indicated, at the First 5 LA offices. All meetings are open to the public, and agendas are posted on our website at least 72 hours in advance.
FINANCIALS
The Commission has received the Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for ten consecutive years beginning in FY 2007-08…