As director of First 5 LA’s Health Systems Department, Tara Ficek leads strategies that strengthen maternal and child health systems and increase access to early developmental supports for children across Los Angeles County. Her work emphasizes equity and long-term systems change, with a focus on improving public health infrastructure and aligning services to better serve families. She is a member of the Leadership Team and serves as an adviser to the executive vice president of First 5 LA’s Center for Family Systems and Human Resources.
With more than two decades of experience in the health field, Tara’s work is shaped by her commitment to improving maternal health outcomes. At First 5 LA, she has worked with community partners to build out multi-sector countywide health initiatives such as the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) and the Help Me Grow LA efforts. Prior to First 5 LA, Tara was the program and grants manager at Partners in Care Foundation, where she oversaw a safety net program providing direct support to low-income, uninsured individuals and managed capacity-building grants for community-based organizations. Her work included building partnerships with local stakeholders to strengthen referral networks and improve access to essential services. Earlier in her career, she worked in clinical settings that focused on women’s and reproductive health.
Tara holds a master’s degree in public health from UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies from the University of Washington. She lives with her family in Glendale and can be spotted walking her Labrador, Luna, in the early morning and evening. In addition to serving on the board of her local elementary school foundation, Tara is a fan of LA’s incredible sports teams, especially the Lakers and Dodgers.
