A Message from Sandee Blechman

It has been almost eight years since I came to Children’s Council as Executive Director. Being a part of the passionate and committed community of early care and education professionals and advocates has been an extraordinary and gratifying experience for me.

I have learned so much and had the opportunity to positively impact the lives and outcomes for families and children in our community and our state.  

As I’ve often said, I believe that this is the most important work of my long and productive career as a non-profit executive and volunteer leader. For some time now, I have been wanting to spend more time with my family and friends and pursuing my personal interests outside work.

With a commitment to a smooth transition in the executive leadership at Children’s Council, I asked the Board of Directors to start looking for my replacement with the goal of moving on to my next chapter—engaged retirement—by the end of this fiscal year in June 2019.  

The past year has been one of great promise in San Francisco, with the implementation of the new Early Learning Scholarship (ELS) system and the passage of Prop C—the funding initiative that will more than double the city’s investment in early care and education.

I have been very involved in these endeavors to improve outcomes for children in our city and to ensure that San Francisco is a city in which families of diverse means can live and thrive.  

Even after I leave my position at Children’s Council, I plan to continue my involvement, as a volunteer, in efforts to make quality early care and education a reality for all children.

I will continue my engagement in CPAC, San Francisco’s Child Care Planning & Advisory Council, as Chair of CPAC’s Policy & Legislation Committee and in Prop C implementation planning as Co-Chair of the new Ad Hoc ELS Access/Expansion Committee. I also will continue to serve as CPAC’s representative on the Citizen’s Advisory Committee for the Office of Early Care & Education.

So, my departure from Children’s Council will not be “good bye”, just a change of status and email. 

The Children’s Council Board of Directors and I are working together to ensure a smooth transition in executive leadership. The Board has set up an Executive Search Committee, chaired by Board Vice-Chair Anna Nordberg, and will be engaging an executive search consultant to assist with the search for my replacement.

I am committed to working with my replacement to orient them fully to the organization and the field, and will be available for consultation as needed, even after I leave.  If you have questions about the transition, don’t hesitate to be in touch. 

My thanks to all of you for the wisdom and guidance you have shared with me during my time at Children’s Council. It has been a true honor and pleasure to work in partnership with you on behalf of our children, families, and community. 

All the best,

Sandee Blechman