FIRST 5 SANTA CRUZ COUNTY NAMES DAVID BRODY AS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

EXPERIENCED LEADER COMES FROM FIRST 5 SANTA CLARA COUNTY

CAPITOLA, CA — September 24, 2013 — First 5 Santa Cruz County, a major funder that invests in health, social services and early childhood programs that ensure young children enter kindergarten healthy, live in strong families and are able to reach their greatest potential in school and life, announced today that David Brody has been selected as the organization’s new executive director.

Mr. Brody will start in the position October 21, 2013. As executive director, he succeeds Susan True, who served as executive director for nine years before obtaining a Masters degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and accepting new positions leading the Bay Area Council's early childhood messaging campaign and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation's literacy initiative. The executive director of First 5 Santa Cruz County is responsible for the administration of nearly $3 million dollars in annual revenues from Proposition 10, the tobacco tax passed by the voters in 1998, and other local and state funding sources.

“Bringing David on board as executive director is a major win for Santa Cruz County,” said Toni Campbell, chair of the First 5 Santa Cruz County Commission. “The Commission feels exceptionally fortunate to have hired David. His experience, skills and interests closely align with the work First 5 has been doing in Santa Cruz County for more than a decade.”

Of his new position, Mr. Brody said, "Proposition 10, and the First 5 Commissions that were born from it, represent a tremendous opportunity to prove that we can act collectively and effectively to change children’s lives for the better. I've been watching First 5 Santa Cruz County's exemplary work for a number of years. I couldn't be more excited to join the team and become a partner with Santa Cruz County's amazing community of providers."

Mr. Brody comes to First 5 Santa Cruz County after a 10-year tenure in leadership capacities at First 5 Santa Clara County, including as business operations director and chief program officer. While at First 5 Santa Clara, some of Mr. Brody’s many accomplishments included setting up a comprehensive screening, assessment and treatment system for young children; overseeing the Commission's investments in early care and education; and designing the agency's contract monitoring and evaluation systems.

In addition, Mr. Brody has more than eight years of experience in the non-profit sector, with leadership roles at both the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston and the Urban League of Portland, Oregon.

First 5 Santa Cruz County’s Key Programs:

Early Language & Literacy Foundations Initiative: Builds the foundation for reading success by training early childhood educators to enhance language-rich practices in the classroom, encouraging families to read together and by investing in activities, assessments and the development of new instruction practices to better prepare children for kindergarten.

Families Together Differential Response Initiative: Prevents child maltreatment by responding early to reports of abuse and neglect.

Triple P (Positive Parenting Program): Improves parent-child relationships through skills training and education.

Healthy Kids: Ensures children have medical insurance, a medical home, preventive care and dental care.

About David Brody

David Brody holds a Masters in Management from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and a Bachelor of Arts in Planning, Public Policy and Management from the University of Oregon. Mr. Brody recently moved to Santa Cruz County with his wife, a high school math teacher, and their two young daughters, ages five and eight.

About First 5 Santa Cruz County

First 5 Santa Cruz County was established by the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on December 8, 1998, by urgency ordinance to ensure that family-friendly services and education are available to enable each child to reach the fifth year of life healthy, ready and able to learn, and emotionally well developed. First 5 Santa Cruz County has established a broad base of partnerships, enabling the Commission to leverage its Proposition 10 revenue and extend its reach into the community.