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. Lisa earned her BA in Sociology from California State University Sacramento, and her MA in Leadership and Organizational Studies from Fresno Pacific University. Lisa has participated in many community boards such as the Child Abuse Prevention Coordinating Council, Family Preservation and Support Board, and the Continuum of Care on Homelessness. She currently serves on the School Board for the Kings River Hardwick Elementary School District. She is married with two children, and is proud to be raising her family in her hometown of Hanford.

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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 has his Masters Degree from 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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Vanessa Avila
School Readiness Coordinator

Vanessa Avila is the School Readiness Coordinator for First 5 Kings County. She has her BA from Fresno Pacific University in Early Childhood Development. Vanessa has served children for the majority of her professional career, having worked as a teacher in Head Start and with First 5 as a Resource Specialist prior to being promoted to the School Readiness Coordinator Position in 2010. Avila offers, "helping children and their families be successful in life is my passion."

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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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Sheila Leasure
Department Specialist I

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Rosalba Cabral
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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Aurora Casillas
Resource Specialist - Consultant to the Commission

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Juan Tafolla
Child Development Teacher

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Sandra Cuadros
Child Development Teacher

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Gabriela Preciado
Family Resource Center Assistant

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Ruth Rodriguez
Family Resource Center Assistant

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Marrisa Benitez
Family Resource Coordinator – Consultant to the Commission

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