Opening Session Speaker
Kris Perry
Kris Perry, Deputy Secretary California Health and Human Services Agency and Senior Advisor to the Governor on Implementation of Early Childhood Development Initiatives.
Earlier in her career, Kris served as Executive Director of First 5 California, fostering their emergence as one of the most well-known and respected advocates for early childhood development on the state and national levels. Prior to that, Kris served as Executive Director of First 5 San Mateo County, where she implemented cutting-edge programs and led community design groups to develop countywide initiatives, including preschool for all and universal health care. Her dedication to children and their families began at the Alameda County Social Services Agency where she worked for more than 12 years in various capacities, including child abuse investigator, family preservation case manager, and program manager.
Kris is a national thought leader on early childhood development, who has appeared in the New York Times, POLITICO, New Republic, Salon, Congressional Quarterly and many other new outlets across the country.
In addition to her role as a national leader on early childhood education, she was the lead plaintiff in the Hollingsworth v. Perry winning legal challenge to California’s Proposition 8, the landmark marriage equality case argued in front of the United States Supreme Court.
She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Masters in Social Work from San Francisco State University. She also completed the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders. Kris is a licensed clinical social worker and a board certified diplomat who holds a postgraduate certificate as a service integration specialist.