Lisa Watson
Executive Director

Lisa Watson is currently the Executive Director for First 5 Kings County. She has been with the Commission since March 2005. Lisa brings to the Commission several years of experience working in program development and administration for community-based organizations. Prior to working with the Commission, she worked at serving victims of crime at both the local and state level. Lisa is an active member of the Child Abuse Prevention Coordinating Council of Kings County and the Family Preservation & Support Board. She is married with two children, and is proud to be raising her family in her hometown.

Lisa earned her BA in Sociology from California State University Sacramento, and is currently working on her Masters in Leadership and Organizational Studies from Fresno Pacific University.

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Fabiola DeCaratachea
Program Officer

Fabiola De Caratachea has been a program officer with First 5 Kings County since 2005. She has a strong background in program development and social service work.

De Caratachea received her bachelor's degree in politics from Mount Holyoke College. She worked for several years in the Bay Area in the non-profit sector and was also hired by The James Irvine Foundation to provide research, analysis and funding recommendations with a focus on the Central Valley.

Fabiola is a Central Valley native and returned to Kings County in 2000 to raise her family.

De Caratachea is excited to be part of the First 5 Kings County team and eager to assist local grantees with technical assistance needs.

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Scott Waite
Program Officer

Scott Waite was born and raised in Portland, OR. Waite received a Bachelors Degree from Point Loma Nazarene University in Child Development. He is currently working on a Masters Degree at Fresno Pacific University in Leadership and Organizational Studies.

Scott worked as a preschool teacher, mentor teacher and program specialist for a regional Head Start program in San Diego, CA. He also worked as an education specialist for a Migrant/Seasonal Head Start program in the state of Oregon. He currently oversees grants and contracts with First 5 Kings County.

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Anamaria Dominguez
Executive Secretary

Anamaria Dominguez has been with First 5 Kings County from the beginning. Hired in 2000, Dominguez possesses the history of the organization from its early days. Previously with Kings County Public Health Department's Women Infant and Children (WIC) Program, working for the benefit of Kings County's young children was nothing new to Dominguez.

Providing administrative support to First 5 Kings County as well as the Kings County Children & Families Commission keeps Ana very busy, but she is always ready to assist the public and partner agencies with a smile.

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Jon-Michael Hice
School Readiness Coordinator

Jon-Michael Hice joined First 5 Kings County in 2002 as Community Specialist, a position which allowed him to connect with all aspects of the community to promote and market the many opportunities made possible by First 5 Kings County. He currently is the School Readiness Coordinator, where he manages the Backpack to Success and Linkages to Learning programs.

Originally hired with Kings County in 1993 to work in the Kings County Library, Hice has held a number of positions with Kings County. Growing up in Hanford, he attended local schools and earned a Bachelors Degree from Chapman University.

Of the many projects that Hice has been involved with while at First 5 Kings County, his coordination and development of a comprehensive directory of resources for Kings County earned him a Community Service Award in 2006 from Blue Cross of California and recognition from local legislative leaders. Also in 2006, Hice was recognized by The Hanford Business Sentinel's "40 under 40", for his efforts in community leadership. Hice is actively involved in his community and is proud of the work done by First 5 Kings County with local school readiness!

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Cabral Rosalba
Resource Specialist

Rosalba Cabral serves Kings County as Resource Specialist with First 5 Kings County. With a background in Early Childhood Education, she is excited about working with the Raising A Reader program. Cabral received an Associates of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from College of the Sequoias and has previous service with Educare and Kings Community Action Organization as a preschool teacher.

Cabral grew up in the small community of Avenal in western Kings County and is very excited to offer services to local children and families.

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Vanessa Avila
Resource Specialist

Resource Specialist Vanessa Avila brings to the First 5 team a background in Early Childhood Education. Avila earned her Associates degree through West Hills Community College and is currently a student at Fresno Pacific University, seeking a career in teaching. Avila's goal is to make a difference in her community through teaching. A former Head Start employee, Avila has experience working with multicultural families. Avila offers, "helping children and their families be successful in life is my passion." Excited to be a part of First 5 Kings County, Avila hopes that she will be able to serve many families with quality programs.

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