The Well-Being of Children, Youth and Families
in San Mateo County
Sustainable San Mateo County’s 27th Annual Indicators Report was unveiled on October 26, 2023, at a free in-person event at the CZI Community Space in Redwood City. The report takes an in-depth look at the many factors affecting children, youth and families in our county.
Read a summary of key facts in the report.
At the event, SSMC’s Indicators Report Program Manager, Simone Vallone, shared some of the key findings and highlights of the Indicators Report, along with recommendations for next steps. Other speakers were:
- Mike Callagy, County Executive, as keynote speaker, explained how the county is addressing the lack of affordable housing and other challenges for children, youth and families
- Heather Cleary, CEO of Peninsula Family Service, who said PFS solved one of the biggest problems in the county – a lack of early educators – by offering associate teacher training
- Kismet Baldwin-Santana, the county’s new Health Officer, who said COVID-19 caused the Health Department to supercharge its efforts to serve the public, including children and families
- Tracy Weatherby, Vice President of Strategy and Advocacy for Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, who said her agency is supplying food to twice as many families as before the pandemic
About the Speakers
Keynote Speaker: Mike Callagy, County Executive
Mike oversees the efficient running of daily county operations and carries out policies established by the Board of Supervisors. As County Executive, he has made ending homelessness a key priority. Mike has more than 37 years of public sector service experience. Before joining the County, Mike spent 29 years with the San Mateo Police Department. He is a licensed attorney in the state of California. In addition to his law degree from Santa Clara University, he holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master’s degree in public administration from the College of Notre Dame and a Master’s in homeland defense and security from the Naval Postgraduate School. A San Mateo County native, he lives in Foster City with his family.
Panelist: Tracy Weatherby, Vice President of Strategy and Advocacy for Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Tracy and her team work closely with governmental partners at all levels and advocate for policies to end hunger. They were early advocates for Universal School Meals with California, now the first state in the nation to ensure that every child can get both breakfast and lunch at school. As an executive fellow at the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University, Tracy worked with dozens of global social entrepreneurs solving poverty issues. Tracy grew up in the U.S. Virgin Islands and holds an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business with a Public Management Program concentration.
Panelist: Heather Cleary, Chief Executive Officer, Peninsula Family Service
A San Mateo resident and a Bay Area native, Heather joined the nonprofit world 18 years ago, working at a private foundation and public charities. She joined Peninsula Family Service in 2010 as Chief Financial Officer. As CEO, she has focused on community partnerships to support the organization’s programs and advocacy for increased wages for early learning teachers. Heather is a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) member for San Mateo. She also serves as a board member of the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce, is a Thrive Action Group steering committee member, is a member of the local Childcare Partnership Council, and a San Mateo Rotary Club member.
Panelist: Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana San Mateo County Health Officer
Kismet became the county’s Health Officer in 2023. Most recently the Interim Health Officer in Sonoma County, she has been deeply involved in public health work since earning her bachelor’s degree in microbiology and a Doctor of Medicine degree at Ohio State University. She completed her pediatric residency at Sinai Hospital and her neonatology fellowship at UCLA. She did post-doctoral work at UCLA on reducing the incidence of sickle cell disease through gene therapy. During the pandemic, she completed a master’s degree in public health at U.C. Berkeley. She is dedicated to addressing the social determinants that affect the health and well-being of those who live and work in the county.
We are grateful to our 2023 Indicators Report sponsors!
PLATINUM
Belmont
Hillsborough
San Carlos
San Mateo
South San Francisco
GOLD
Foster City
Redwood City
SILVER
Atherton
Colma
Daly City
Millbrae
Pacifica
Peninsula Family Service
BRONZE
Burlingame
San Mateo County
Office of Education
YSF-Peninsula Family YMCA