As most of you know, First 5 LA is undergoing some exciting changes as we act on our Strategic Plan.  To accomplish our mission, First 5 L.A. is making some changes to its structure and finding new ways to tap the many resources of its staff members, whose experiences and backgrounds in various fields will help our transition run smoothly, and be a success.

For the last three years, Katie Kurutz, a First 5 LA public affairs officer, was at the helm of the Monday Morning Report - or the MMR, as we call it. Katie demonstrated dedication, creativity and a deep level of commitment to our stakeholders as she took on the task of compiling the MMR every week. I want to thank her for her hard work in helping our community stay informed.

Now, Katie is moving on to assist in the establishment of our Best Start communities, and has passed the reigns of our weekly e-newsletter to Denise Nix, recently hired in First 5 LA's Public Affairs Department. Denise comes to us from the Daily Breeze in the South Bay. Denise, who won the Society of Professional Journalist Los Angeles Chapter's Distinguished Journalist of the Year award in 2009, has covered courts and legal issues at the Daily Breeze for nine years, and has worked as a professional journalist for 15 years.

I hope you'll join me in welcoming Denise to the First 5 LA family. I'd like to encourage you to contact her with any ideas or tips for future MMR stories. This is your newsletter, and you help make it great!

Denise Nix may be reached at (213) 482-7831 or dnix@first5la.org