Our Team
FIRST 5 Santa Clara County staff are dedicated to the health and well-being of young children, prenatal through five years, and their families and caregivers.
Meet the Team
We approach our work with heart and humility, seeking ways to collectively and collaboratively innovate and improve systems of care to better serve the health, early learning, and basic needs of young children, families and caregivers in our community, prioritizing those who are most vulnerable to systemic racism and oppression and who have been historically-marginalized and under-served in our county.
Ali Kagawa
Director of Strategic Communications
Community Impact
she/her/hers
Alma Sanchez
Program Officer
Early Learning and Care
she/her/ella
Angelina Andrade
Facilities Director
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Beverly Lee
Assistant Director (Accounting)
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Charlotte Caudle
Program Officer
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Connie Bozant
Coordinator (Contracts)
Finance/Operations
she/her/ella
Ditas Alabado
Coordinator (Accounts Payable)
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Emily Fayram
Program Officer
Community Health and Wellness
she/her/hers
Erica Brown
Director of People and Culture
Human Resources
she/her/hers
Erica Rico
Coordinator (Business Operations)
Finance/Operations
she/her/ella
Erika Vazquez
Program Officer
Early Learning and Care
she/her/ella
Esmeralda Rosales
Director
Finance/Operations
she/her/ella
Eula Idemoto
Director
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Gabriella Sandoval
Coordinator
Community Health and Wellness
she/her/ella
Hector Tatis-Peguero
Coordinator
Family Strengthening and Support
he/him/his
Heidi Emberling
Executive of Community Impact
Community Impact
she/her/hers
Huyen Le
Director (Contracts)
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Ingrid Medina
Coordinator (SEEDS)
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Jennifer Cloyd
Executive Director
she/her/hers
Jenny Zhao
Assistant Director (Finance)
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Kelsey Bhatnagar
Director
Community Health and Wellness
she/her/hers
Leah Asuncion
Director
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Lee Bangphraxay
Grants Assistant Director
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Lin Xu
Coordinator
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Lula Ali
Program Officer
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Martha Nevarez
Program Officer
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Maureen Shilling
Executive of Finance and Operations
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Mayra Mena
Assistant Director (Contracts)
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Melissa Johnson
Executive of People and Culture
Human Resources
she/her/hers
Mike González
Executive of Family and Health Strategies
Family Strengthening and Support/Community Health and Wellness
Minerva Sarellano
Director
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Nadia Gonzalez
Coordinator
Family Strengthening and Support
she/her/ella
Nathan Lingat-Thomas
Director of Research and Evaluation
Community Impact
he/him/his
Nishma Samat-Singh
Program Officer
Community Health and Wellness
she/her/hers
Patty Serrano
Coordinator
Early Learning and Care
she/her/ella
Prabi Atwal
Coordinator
Family Strengthening and Support
she/her/hers
Rosa Carrera
Coordinator
Community Health and Wellness
she/her/hers
Sarah Distler
Coordinator (Contracts)
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Sara Yin-Somera
Executive Assistant
she/her/hers
Shannon Aivazian
Executive Assistant
she/her/hers
Shannon Dutra
Coordinator (Communications)
Community Impact
she/her/hers
Teresa Ballete
Controller
Finance/Operations
she/her/hers
Tham Nguyen
Program Officer
Family Strengthening and Support
she/her/hers
Trena Hudson-Davis
Executive of Early Learning and Care
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Veronica Lopez-Cruz
Program Officer
Early Learning and Care
she/her/hers
Yadira Oseguera-Guizar
Program Officer
Family Strengthening and Support
she/her/ella
Yamileth Jimenez
Coordinator
Early Learning and Care
she/her/ella
Zulema Inai
Director
Family Strengthening and Support
she/her/hers
Join Our Team
At FIRST 5 Santa Clara County, we work collectively to uplift the needs of young children and their families and caregivers.
Our staff is diverse, multilingual, and brings a variety of skills and talents to our social justice work.
We are looking for people who are compassionate, who seek to make a positive impact in our community, and who enjoy working collaboratively to innovate and create impactful programs that directly benefit young children and those who care for them.
