Kimberly Belshé

Kimberly Belshé was named Executive Director of First 5 Los Angeles in November 2012. Prior to joining First 5 LA, she served as senior policy advisor of Public Policy Institute of California and, from 2003-2011, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency in the Administration of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Belshé previously held a number of leadership positions in state government, including director of the Department of Health Services and deputy secretary of the Health and Welfare Agency under Governor Pete Wilson. She also has served in leadership positions in California philanthropy, including the James Irvine Foundation. Ms. Belshé served on the founding five-member board of the state's Health Benefit Exchange, Covered California, until 2015 and is a current member of the boards of the LA Area Chamber of Commerce, Southern California Grantmakers, and the Blue Shield of California Foundation. 

She is a native of San Francisco and holds a master's degree in public policy from Princeton University and a bachelor's degree in government from Harvard College.