SACRAMENTO – The Senate Rules Committee, chaired by Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast), has appointed Mary Ann Hansen of Humboldt County to the Early Childhood Policy Council. 

“Mary Ann Hansen is an exceptional and effective leader. No one works harder on behalf of our kids and she will bring passion and dedication to the Early Childhood Policy Council,” Pro Tem McGuire said. “Kids are California’s best investment, so the policies shaped with Mary Ann’s leadership will be some of the most important policies coming out of the State Capitol. We look forward to working with Mary Ann in this new role and our continued collaboration with the Council.”

Hansen has served as the Executive Director of First 5 Humboldt since 2015. Her leadership has been transformative to the organization, which is now helping more underserved kids than ever. As a result of her life-changing work, Senator McGuire selected Hansen as the 2022 North Coast Woman of the Year. She has been a champion for expanding equitable access to high-quality and robust childcare, and during the pandemic, fought to expand health and wellness opportunities for Humboldt County’s youngest residents. 

“I absolutely love working with Senator McGuire and this is an incredible honor to be appointed to the Policy Council,” said Hansen. “I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and continuing my work at a statewide level, ensuring every child in California has access to high-quality early education and robust services.”   

A Humboldt County native, Hansen was a faculty member at Cal Poly Humboldt in the Child Development department for two decades, while also holding various consulting positions for First 5 Humboldt and the Hoopa Valley Tribe in the area of early childhood education. She is a licensed Transdisciplinary Infant-Family Early Childhood Mental Health Practitioner and is a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. In 2022, she served as a subject matter expert for the California Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Network work group.

The Early Childhood Policy Council is one of the preeminent organizations in the State focused on all aspects of California’s early childhood education system. The Council advises the Governor, Legislature, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction on early education policy and priorities. 

Mary Ann Hansen lives in Ferndale. The term is at the pleasure of the Senate Rules Committee, not to exceed six years. Compensation is reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses.

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Mike McGuire is President pro Tempore of the California Senate. He represents the North Coast of California, which stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, including Del Norte, Trinity, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Marin Counties. Website of Senate Leader McGuire: https://sd02.senate.ca.gov/