Commission &

Staff

F5VC Staff Directory

Staff is working remotely in response to the pandemic. To contact staff members, please send them an email. If you need to meet in person, you may schedule an office visit by emailing assistant@first5ventura.org.

Call 805-648-9990 to leave a message in the general mailbox.

Petra Puls, MPA

Executive Director

If you have questions about the strategic direction of First 5 Ventura, please email Petra Puls. 

Program, Evaluation and Community Initiatives

Sam McCoy

Director of Program and Evaluation

smccoy@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about First 5 Placed-Based Initiatives, Evaluation and Data Systems, please email Sam McCoy.

Heather Guerrero, M.A, IF-ECMHP

Director of Neighborhoods for Learning

hguerrero@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about Neighborhoods for Learning, Parent and Child Together classes, or Parent Engagement, please email Heather Guerrero.

Sharon Elmensdorp, PhD, BCBA-D

Program Manager

selmensdorp@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about Help Me Grow Ventura County, ASQ Online ® in Ventura County, or ACEs Aware Ventura County, please email Sharon Elmensdorp.

Grace Montejano

Care Coordinator

gmontejano@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about the Help Me Grow Ventura County telephone help line or parent navigation services, please email Grace Montejano.

Nani Oesterle, MS, MA

Program Manager

noesterle@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about preschool, QRIS, 2-1-1, or Oral Health, please email Nani Oesterle.

Jimena Hernandez

Quality & Technical Assistance Coordinator

jhernandez@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about Parent Engagement or Storytime, please email Jimena Hernandez.

Tyla Adams, MPH, CHES

Program Manager

tadams@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about First 5’s communications, outreach, or advocacy efforts, please email Tyla Adams.

Administration, Finance, and Operations

Jennifer Johnson

Director of Finance and Administration

jjohnson@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about Finance or Administration, please email Jennifer Johnson.

Lauren Arzu, MPA

Director of Human Resources and Operations

larzu@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about Human Resources, Policy and Advocacy, or Communications, please email Lauren Arzu.

John Anderson

Operations Manager

janderson@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about contracts, amendments, or Persimmony reporting, please email John Anderson.

Teresa Gutierrez

Fiscal Administrator

fiscaladministrator@
first5ventura.org

If you have questions about accounts payable or receivable, please email Teresa Gutierrez.

Fahim S. Farag

Office Coordinator

ffarag@first5ventura.org

If you have questions about Commission Meetings, enrolling your child in services, requesting community outreach materials, or general inquiries, please email Fahim S. Farag.

F5VC Commissioners

A nine-member volunteer commission appointed by the Board of Supervisors governs First 5 Ventura County. Commissioners bring knowledge in health, human services, government, and education and are united by a desire to make Ventura County the best it can be for young children and families.

Standing committees in Administration and Finance, Program and best practices committees in health, early learning, and family strengthening bring Commission and community members together to support the decision-making process.

Barbara Marquez-O’Neill, Chair

Independent Consultant

Bruce Stenslie, Vice-Chair

President/CEO, Economic Development Collaborative

Rachel Champagne

Senior Program Director, Catalyst Kids

Michael Gollub, MD, FAAP

Pediatrician, Retired

Matt LaVere

Ventura County Supervisor, District 1

Robert Levin, MD

Health Officer/Medical Director, Ventura County Public Health

Cesar Morales, PhD

Superintendent, Ventura County Office of Education

Christine Walker, EdD

Superintendent, Hueneme Elementary School District

Barry Zimmerman

Director, Ventura County Health Care Agency

Commission Meetings

The First 5 Ventura County Commission meets monthly, usually on the third Thursday of the month from 1–3 p.m. These meetings are open to the public and the agendas are posted in advance. View our most recent agenda.

You will also find schedules, agendas, meeting materials, and minutes from previous meetings here:

Commission Meetings

Committee Meetings

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