Our Board of Commissioners, leadership and committed employees work as one to ensure Tehama counties children have the best start in their first 5 years of life.
Our Mission:
Through partnerships and innovative leadership First 5 Tehama promotes, facilitates and supports 0-5 systems that improve inclusive access to high-quality early education, health and family support resources.
Vision:
Tehama County is a community where families and young children are hopeful, resilient, healthy, and thriving.
Staff Leadership
Heidi, Executive Director
Heidi leads First 5 Tehama’s overall vision and strategy, including partnerships, Commission direction, funding development, systems-building, and connecting the dots across local, regional, and state efforts.
Katie O’Shea, Finance and Contracts Manager
Katie is the fiscal backbone of First 5 Tehama, overseeing contracts, budgets, invoices, reporting, and compliance to ensure public dollars are stewarded carefully.
Nancy Vicuña, Mental Health Manager
Nancy is your go-to for workforce development, PPP, and First 5’s infant and early childhood mental health programs.
Jaycee Lee, Administrative Assistant
Connect with Jaycee for help signing up for P2P, PPP, newsletters, new parent kits, and other First 5 programs and resources.
Marilu Flores, Early Literacy Specialist
Marilu is your go-to for story hours, Corning Brain Builders, early literacy programs, and related resources.
Our Commissioners
Pati Nolen
pnolen@co.tehama.ca.us
Laura Hawkins
lhawkins@tcdss.org
Jayme Bottke
jayme.bottke@tchsa.net
Rich DuVarney
duvarney@tehamaschools.org
Jennifer Torres
JTorres@nccdi.com
Delcie Strahan
Delcie.Strahan@dignityhealth.org
Michelle Kinner
mkinner@antelopeschools.org
Tiffany Dietz
tdietz@cuesd.net
Learn More Information about Prop 10 inception and funding for First 5 Tehama:
In November 1998, California voters passed Proposition 10, the “Children and Families Act of 1998″ initiative. The act levies a tax on tobacco products to provide funding for early childhood development programs. Revenues generated from the tobacco tax must be used to enhance the early growth experiences of children, enabling them to be more successful in school and ultimately to give them an equal opportunity to succeed in life. Revenues must be used for the following specific purposes:
- To create a comprehensive and integrated delivery system of information and services to promote early childhood development;
- To support parenting education, child health and wellness, early child care and education, and family support services; and
- To educate Californians on the importance of early childhood development and smoking cessation.
Tobacco tax revenues are collected at the state level. Eighty percent of these funds are then allocated to the 58 counties according to annual birth rates. The remaining 20 percent of the money is allocated to First 5 California to support statewide programs, research, and media campaigns. Statewide First 5’s are the largest investor in early childhood programs ($2 billion in 20 years). However due to smoking prevention efforts, this tobacco tax is a declining source of revenue and therefore the Prop 10 allocation diminishes each year.