Advisory Committees

The Early Childhood Care and Education Advisory Committee advises the First 5 Humboldt Commission on issues related to the care and education of young children and those that serve them in the early childhood education field.

Our 2020 Strategic Plan states that our organization will build and support a professional workforce with the capacity to provide prevention and early intervention services to young children and their families. To promote that prepared workforce, we provide training and technical assistance opportunities for the early childhood workforce through our IMPACT and other Quality Counts programs.

Members

Hyun-Kyung You, Humboldt State University Child Development Department (Commissioner, Co-Chair)

Wendy Hill, College of the Redwoods Child Development Center (Commissioner, Co-Chair)

Ana Tejeda, Family Childcare Provider

Ranae Liles, Community Member

Sydney Fisher Larson, Professor Emeritus, College of the Redwoods, Past Commissioner

Jennifer Black, Changing Tides Family Services

Kelly Love, HCOE Special Beginnings

Alicia Chivington, Little Redwoods Preschool

Star Fishel Mohatt, First 5 Humboldt Staff

Mary Ann Hansen, First 5 Humboldt Staff

Working in the service of Humboldt County families, it is our charge to support programs that are effective in furthering our mission.

Our Fiscal  & Evaluation Committee provides detailed fiscal and program oversight. The Committee makes recommendations to the Commission on fiscal planning, budgeting, expenditures, fiscal policy, program accountability and quality improvement. The Committee aligns its work with the current First 5 Humboldt Strategic Plan and the Evaluation Framework. The Committee’s work is directed by the current First 5 Humboldt Fiscal and Sustainability Policy and the Evaluation Policy.

The Committee is responsible for overseeing the annual update of the Evaluation Framework and the annual reporting to First 5 California and the Humboldt County community. As the world and our county’s experience evolves, we continue to adjust our approach to ensure we are leading the change that helps families be successful.

Community members are invited to apply to join our advisory committees.

Members

• Lorey Keele, Redwood Community Action Agency, Commissioner
• Brian Davis, Commissioner
• Michele Stephens, Commissioner
• Connie Sundberg, Commissioner
• Nancy Frost, community member
• Jeanne Vidad, community member
• Dawn Arledge, California Center for Rural Policy
• Kim Puckett, evaluator
• Dan Berman, First 5 Humboldt staff
• Mary Ann Hansen, First 5 Humboldt staff
• Aaron Wythe, First 5 Humboldt staff

The PFS Committee advises the Commission on matters related to Strategic Plan Focus Area 3: Child and Family Well-Being and Focus Area 4: Professional Capacity. These community representatives help us look deeper at our funded programs and partnerships, with a focus on supporting the well-being of young children and their families through prevention and early intervention activities throughout Humboldt. The Committee also advises on building an equitable, developmentally, culturally and trauma-responsive workforce and helping our work prioritize prevention and family strengthening principles.

These community representatives help us look deeper at our funded programs and partnerships, with a focus on supporting the well-being of young children and their families through prevention and early intervention activities throughout Humboldt.

Community members are invited to apply to join our advisory committees.

Members

• Megan Blanchard, Director of Public Health Nursing, Commissioner, committee chair
• Leah Lamattina or Cassi Le’Hue, Humboldt Network of FRCs
• Hannah Lippe, Care Network
• Dian Pecora, Community Member
• Qiday Powell, Parent and Community Member
• Angela Winogradov, Public Health Nurse
• Dan Berman, First 5 Humboldt staff
• Heidi O’Hanen, First 5 Humboldt staff
• Mary Ann Hansen, First 5 Humboldt staff

The Executive Committee oversees matters that may involve personnel or require timely advice to the Executive Director between Commission meetings. This Committee meets as needed and meetings are noticed at the First 5 Office. Membership of the Executive Committee is limited to First 5 Commissioners and staff. The executive committee is charged to:

• Be familiar with the by-laws, advise the Commission on amendments to the by-laws and ensure the by-laws are implemented.
• Advise the Commission and Executive Director on personnel matters, including employment, evaluation, compensation, and discipline of permanent and contracted Commission employees.
• Advise the Commission and the Executive Director on informing the public about the work of the Commission.
• Be familiar with the strategic plan, advise the Commission on Strategic Plan Revisions and plan for the annual public hearing on the Strategic Plan
• Be familiar with the Commission approved polices and resolutions, the Memorandum of Understanding between Humboldt County and the Children and Families Commission of July 25, 2000, the California Children and Families Act of 1998, and the Ordinance approved by the Board of Supervisors for the County of Humboldt establishing the Commission.

Ad Hoc Committees that are formed as need arises and meet for limited terms.

Program Evaluation Team

The Program Evaluation Team is an Ad Hoc Committee that meets once per year in the spring. The Team consists of current and former Commissioners, representatives from each advisory committee, plus the fiscal and administrative staff. The Team reviews annual survey data, site visit reports, and reports from funded programs to review how the programs are working and how they are meeting community needs. We learn from every decision and every program, because doing so allows us to improve the lives of children and their families.