Community Advisory Council (CAC)
Our Role in the Community Advisory Council (CAC)
The Alameda County Early Care & Education Planning Council (Planning Council) has a defined role in supporting the Measure C Community Advisory Council (CAC). The CAC, established under the Measure C Ordinance, is an 11-member volunteer advisory body that provides recommendations to First 5 Alameda County on the administration of the Child Care, Preschool, and Early Education (CCPEE) account.
The Community Advisory Council is composed of the following members pictured: Mitch Sigman, Robert Williams, Kym Johnson, Savitha Moorthy, Paulene McCarthy, Maéva Renaud, Tracey Black and Nancy Harvey. Not pictured: Heidi Gerard, Bry’Anna Wallace and David Padilla. Also pictured: Kristen Spanos (CEO of First 5 Alameda County).
Appointments and Membership
One of the Planning Council’s key responsibilities is the joint appointment of CAC members, in partnership with the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. Together, the Planning Council and the Board of Supervisors review applications and select individuals to fill designated seats as outlined in the Measure C Ordinance. These seats reflect a balance of expertise and lived experience, including providers, parents, public agency staff, and community representatives. The Planning Council ensures that the process is transparent, equitable, and aligned with the requirements of the ordinance.
Collaboration with First 5 Alameda County
While the CAC provides recommendations directly to First 5 Alameda County, the Planning Council’s role ensures the CAC itself is fully staffed and supported in accordance with the Measure C Ordinance. By co-appointing members, the Planning Council helps uphold the structure that allows the CAC to focus on its advisory responsibilities.
Why Our Role Matters
The Measure C Ordinance intentionally positioned the Planning Council as a co-appointing body alongside the Board of Supervisors to reflect our long-standing role as the county’s state-mandated planning body for child care and early education. This partnership helps ensure that CAC membership reflects both governance oversight and expertise from the early care and education field.
Planning Council Appointed CAC Members
One employee or representative of Alternative Payment Agency:
Mona Attia-Shirk
Vice President of Programs, Hively
Two administrators and/or directors from an early care and education center participating in a subsidized child care program in the County, at least one of whom is an administrator or employee of a public agency:
Maéva Renaud
VP of Advocacy and Policy, Kidango
Tracey Black
Manager, Governance & State Contracts, City of Oakland
Three discretionary members MAY include but are not limited to representatives of the Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE), higher education, parents, public agencies, and labor unions:
Savitha Moorthy
Parent and Executive Director, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment (CSCCE)
Nancy Harvey
Parent, Family Child Care Provider and member of Child Care Providers United (CCPU)
David Padilla
Parent and member of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 521
For more information about meeting dates, please visit: Community Advisory Council | First 5 Alameda County. Applications for the CAC are closed. For more information, follow linked page.