The First 5 LA Board of Commissioners is comprised of 13 members (nine voting, four ex-officio) in addition to nine Alternate Commissioners. 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 family-oriented 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 or on our website. All meetings are open to the public and agendas are posted, at First 5 LA offices and on our website, 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.

BROWN ACT:

Public Meeting Rules

All First 5 LA Board and Committee meetings must be held open and public, with the exception of Closed Sessions. Closed Session meetings are publicly noticed but are not required to permit public attendees.

Two key provisions of the Brown Act, which ensure the public’s business is conducted openly, are the requirements that legislative bodies publicly post agendas prior to their meetings, (§§ 54954.2, 54955, 54956 and 54957.5) and that no action or discussion may occur on items or subjects not listed on the posted agenda (§ 54954.2). Accordingly, all agendas for Board meetings must be posted 72-hours in advance of the meeting while agendas for Special Board and Committee meetings must be posted 24-hours in advance of the meeting.

Finally, all meetings, including Closed Sessions, will give public members an opportunity to provide public comment.

IMPORTANT NOTE: 

Under AB 2449, new teleconferencing rules provide a hybrid model of physical and remote attendance for members of our Board under certain specified circumstances.  

As a threshold matter, AB 2449 requires that at least a quorum of members of our Board may participate in person from a single physical, public location clearly identified on the agenda.  

If the physical attendance quorum requirement is met, AB 2449 permits a Board member to join a Board meeting virtually, without having to notice their location, under two circumstances: (1) for “just cause” and (2) due to “emergency circumstances”. Both “just cause” and “emergency circumstances” are defined under the statute. 

Members of the public may continue to observe this meeting telephonically or otherwise electronically.

Governance Guidelines

First 5 L Board of Commissioners Bylaws (As of November 2021)




Our Board

Holly J. Mitchell

Holly J. Mitchell

Board Chair, Los Angeles County Supervisor, Second District

Summer McBride

Summer McBride

Vice Chair, Appointed by L.A. County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell

Commissioners 

Robert Byrd

Robert Byrd

Represents: Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH)

Alma Cortes

Alma Cortes

Appointed by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Third District

Barbara Ferrer

Barbara Ferrer

Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Astrid Heppenstall Heger

Astrid Heppenstall Heger

Appointed by: Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Fifth District

Maricela Ramirez

Maricela Ramirez

Representing: Los Angeles County Office of Education

Carol Sigala

Carol Sigala

Appointed by: Supervisor Hilda Solis, First District

Abigail R. Marquez

Abigail R. Marquez

Appointed by: Supervisor Janice Hahn, Fourth District

Ex Officio Representatives

Deanne Tilton Durfee

Deanne Tilton Durfee

Representing: Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (ICAN)

Jacquelyn McCroskey

Jacquelyn McCroskey

Appointed by: Commission for Children and Families

Brandon Nichols

Brandon Nichols

Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Children & Family Services

Alejandra Albarran Moses

Alejandra Albarran Moses

Representing: Policy Roundtable for Child Care and Development

Commission Alternates

Mary Romero Barraza

Mary Romero Barraza

Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH)

Luis Bautista

Luis Bautista

Representing: Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)

Priya Batra

Priya Batra

Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Victor Manalo

Victor Manalo

Appointed by: Supervisor Janice Hahn, Fourth District

Frank Ramos

Frank Ramos

Representing: Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

Kristin McGuire

Kristin McGuire

Appointed by: Supervisor Hilda Solis, First District

Winnie Wechsler

Winnie Wechsler

Appointed by: Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Fifth District

Sylvia S. Swilley

Sylvia S. Swilley

Appointed by: Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Second District

Julie Taren

Julie Taren

Appointed by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, 3rd District

Commissioners Committee Assignments

Board of Commissioners Committee Assignments 2024


MEETING MATERIALS

All First 5 LA Board and Committee Meeting Agendas are posted online according to open meeting rules (California Brown Act)…

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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.

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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…

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