LOS ANGELES– First 5 LA, a leading public grantmaking and child advocacy organization, today named Kim Pattillo Brownson as Vice President of Policy and Strategy. The position is one of five executive team members tasked with the oversight, development and execution of First 5 LA’s new strategic direction.
As the new Vice President for Policy and Strategy, Pattillo Brownson will be responsible for strengthening First 5 LA’s profile and influence on local and statewide early childhood education public policy, legislative and advocacy efforts. In addition to oversight of First 5 LA’s relationships with local, county, state and federal policy makers, Pattillo Brownson also will ensure First 5 LA’s external strategic partnerships, public policy and government affairs, and communications and marketing efforts are integrated to maximize impact for the highest number of children and families in L.A. County.
“Kim has a proven ability to build partnerships and engage stakeholders to raise awareness and influence decision makers to make young children and their families a priority in policy decisions,” said Kim Belshé, Executive Director of First 5 LA. “We are delighted that Kim will be using her wealth of experience and expertise in law, public policy and advocacy in service of First 5 LA’s efforts to contribute to making a greater impact for children in L.A. County.”
Kim has a proven ability to build partnerships and engage stakeholders to raise awareness and influence decision makers to make young children and their families a priority in policy decisions. -Kim Belshé
Pattillo Brownson previously served as the Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization engaged in policy and systems change to foster upward mobility in communities most impacted by economic and racial injustice. In this capacity, she led the Advancement Project’s policy and advocacy staff across Sacramento, Los Angeles and the Bay Area and provided strategic direction to their work on early education, school funding, and school facilities, public budgeting transparency, governmental relations, and state and local campaign advocacy.
Prior to joining the Advancement Project, Kim was an education attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, where she focused on educational equity issues in California schools. Previously, she worked in private sector litigation at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Kim began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Dolores Sloviter on the Third Circuit Court of Appeal, and the Honorable Louis H. Pollak in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Prior to law school, Kim worked at the Boston Consulting Group, where she provided financial and strategic planning services to Fortune 500 companies.
“I am excited to join the First 5 LA team as we drive to make greater impact for kids through partnerships and policy,” said Pattillo Brownson. “We know the early years are vital and I look forward to building upon First 5 LA’s important advocacy work to help all of our children thrive and succeed.”
Pattillo Brownson earned a Doctor of Law degree from Yale Law School and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies.
Pattillo Brownson will begin work at First 5 LA on June 30, 2016. First 5 LA recently named Christina Altmayer as Vice President of Programs and Carl Gayden as Senior Director of Administration. These Executive Team roles are a result of a process undertaken by First 5 LA to strengthen the organization’s ability to effectively execute its 2015-2020 Strategic Plan and to help it become a higher performing, higher impact organization for children prenatal to age 5, and their parents and caregivers.
