Leilani San Nicolas Garcia, MPA
Coordinator of Early Childhood Programs, Stanislaus County Office of Education’s, Child & Family Services Division
Leilani received her B.A. in Child Development from Mills College and a Master in Public Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Hailing from the island of Guam, Leilani started her career as a preschool teacher at the Stanford Children’s Center then, as a Program Manager for the YWCA of Oakland’s Early Care and Education Institute. In 2000, she made her way to California’s Central Valley and the Head Start program. Currently, in her role in the Child & Family Services Division, Leilani leads the Planning and Information Management group where she is primarily responsible for strategic planning, coordinating the production of more than $60 million in grant applications annually, oversight of data management systems, analysis and reporting of data, and the development of publications for the Division. For over nine years, Leilani has incorporated the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the analysis of program data as part of strategic planning, grant development, and to support program operations. Leilani has had the opportunity to participate in two National Head Start leadership programs. She is a graduate of the UCLA/Johnson & Johnson Head Start Management Fellows Program and the National Head Start Association’s Nike STARTing Block leadership program.
Leilani believes that who she is and the work that she does is grounded by her strong faith and belief in her purpose here on this earth; to use the skills she possesses to give the youngest and most vulnerable of children, the best possible start in life.
Leilani is one member of an amazing family of five. She and her husband have been blessed with opportunity to raise three wonderful children and in 2019, they will celebrate 20 years of marriage.