Kathleen has been with First 5 Merced County since July 2005, and an employee of the county since 2000. Born in Merced, Kathleen was one of Merced County’s first Head Start recipients. As a member of an air force family, Kathleen moved a great deal in her youth, spending her high school years in a suburb of Santa Cruz, CA. Her lengthy career in the medical field began during this time, as she volunteered alongside her mother as a Candy Striper. Kathleen’s work experience includes 15 years as an optician, 11 years in medical office management, and 4 years as a surgical technician in Rancho Mirage with the first cosmetic laser surgeon in, CA.. Kathleen also worked in labor and delivery and NICU as a monitor technician, scrub technician and was trained in neo-natal resuscitation to be used as a second in delivery.

After the birth of her third child, Kathleen returned to Merced to be closer to her family, 2 brothers, 2 sisters and her mother, a nurse, who also worked for the County Health Department in the CHDP and MAP programs.