Kris Perry

Marriage Equality Pioneer & Early Childhood Champion

An accomplished senior executive and influential advocate in both government and nonprofit sectors, Kris Perry has dedicated her career to significantly improving lives through heightened investments in early childhood education. Leveraging a blend of public relations, government relations, and strategic communications, Perry masterfully led powerful grassroots and grass-tops campaigns across local, state, and federal levels. Perry's personal and professional experiences reflect a deep commitment to social justice and strong advocacy for children and families. Through her leadership, strategic insight, and relentless advocacy, she has played a transformative role in shaping policies that enhance the well-being and future of children and families, not just in California, but across the nation.

As the Executive Director of the Children and Screens Institute of Digital Media and Child Development since 2022, Perry directs pivotal research initiatives and policy development focused on the impact of digital media on child development. A recognized spokesperson for the early childhood movement, Perry has delivered compelling presentations through major media outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, NBC, and NPR.

Previously, Perry worked in public child welfare in direct and supervisory roles, and was a valued field instructor for several Bay Area schools of social work. More recently, she served as the Deputy Secretary and Senior Advisor at the Office of the Governor in the California Health and Human Services Agency (2019-2022), which developed a statewide inaugural master plan for early learning and care. As a senior advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom, Perry was instrumental in implementing early childhood development initiatives, effectively managing large federal grants to support preschool programs and broaden policy and budget proposals that enhance child and family development.

In 2018, Perry was President of the Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) in Washington, DC, leading the political action arm of that organization and spearheading strategies that influenced early education investments at both state and federal levels. While there, Perry launched comprehensive grassroots mobilization and government relations campaigns to ensure access to high-quality early learning opportunities for every child in the U.S.

In 2013, after five years working its way through the courts, Perry was the named plaintiff in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hollingsworth v. Perry, a case that restored marriage equality for all California residents. Following that victory, she became the Executive Director of the First Five Years Fund in Washington, DC, directing a team of policy, advocacy, and communications staff to align the goals of major philanthropic funders with federal initiatives aimed at expanding and improving investments in early education.

Earlier in her career, Perry served as the Executive Director of First 5 California (2005-2012), and First Five Los Angeles, where under the leadership of notable figures such as Rob Reiner, her pivotal efforts instigated groundbreaking programs that still support California’s children by leveraging early intervention initiatives funded by a 1998 voter-approved tobacco tax.