Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis was sworn in as the 50th Lieutenant Governor of California by Governor Gavin Newsom on January 7th, 2019. She is the first woman elected Lt. Governor of California. A native Californian, she visited each of the state’s 58 counties during her historic campaign. In addition to her duties as Lt. Governor, Kounalakis is California’s Representative for International Affairs and Trade, appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom by executive order.
I was proud to be a member of California’s First 5 Commission for early childhood education. As a mom of two sons, I know just how important it is to make sure kids have the care and education they need. California can - and should - do more for children 0-3 years old. We must support safe, thriving in-home daycares and daycare workers. If elected, I will also fight for universal preschool so that when our kids enter kindergarten, they are prepared and ready.
I fundamentally believe that we not only need to increase access to child care, but we also need to make childcare more affordable to California's families. In some cities, child care costs more than monthly rent, and many mothers (and fathers) cannot afford to go back to work. We know that when more parents work, it stimulates the economy and creates more economic prosperity. California should support working moms - and that starts with making child care affordable.