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*For Immediate Release:    *     
December 18, 2025
          
*Contact:    *     
Grace Hoge
[email protected]

*Governor Kelly Appoints Christi Smith as
Inaugural Director of the
Kansas Office of Early Childhood*

*
TOPEKA —* Governor Laura Kelly announced today that she has appointed Christi Smith as the inaugural director of the newly established Kansas Office of Early Childhood (KOEC). For more than two decades, Smith has dedicated her career to strengthening Kansas’ early childhood and family service systems. In this role as director, she will help guide the transition to establish the new office and lead the state agency as it launches on July 1, 2026. 

“The establishment of the Kansas Office of Early Childhood marks a transformative step for our state in building the most robust, comprehensive early childhood system in the nation,” *Governor Laura Kelly said*. “I am confident that Christi’s years of impressive experience along with her passion will provide the leadership necessary to ensure the office successfully delivers on its charge. I look forward to her work to align our early childhood investments, develop a world-class early childhood system that benefits Kansas children and families, and secure a brighter economic future for our entire state.” 

Smith currently serves as the Executive Director of Child Care Aware of Kansas [ [link removed] ], where she leads the statewide Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) network and provides strategic, fiscal, and policy leadership for major state, federal, and philanthropic initiatives. In this role, she has modernized statewide CCR&R operations, strengthened digital infrastructure and data transparency, and advanced a collaborative system-building strategy centered on collective accountability and continuous improvement. 

 “I am deeply honored that Governor Kelly has entrusted me with the privilege of serving as the first Director of the Kansas Office of Early Childhood,”* said Christi Smith*. “Working alongside families, the child care workforce, and leaders across the state, I will focus on breaking down silos and strengthening partnerships to ensure our early childhood system helps children and families thrive.” 

The Kansas Office of Early Childhood was created by House Bill 2045, [ [link removed] ] a bipartisan law passed in 2025 through the collaboration of Governor Kelly and the Kansas Legislature. The office will consolidate early childhood funding and responsibilities currently spread across multiple state agencies into a single entity. As director, Smith will oversee the new office’s vision, strategic direction, operations, and outcomes, guiding Kansas toward a more streamlined and effective early childhood system. 

Smith brings a depth of experience across early childhood program administration, statewide system leadership, nonprofit executive management, and family service delivery. Before leading Child Care Aware of Kansas, Smith served as Executive Director of Alpha Delta Kappa, an international nonprofit professional association for women educators, where she strengthened partnerships and advanced member engagement. She also served as Director of Family Preservation at DCCCA, where she successfully founded and led a new department, managed multi-million-dollar contracts, and implemented new programs, engagement, and data systems to better serve families. Prior to that, Smith served as the Director of Strategy and Innovation at Child Care Aware of Kansas.  

Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Missouri State University and a Master of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership from Ellis College of New York Institute of Technology. She also earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives.  

Additionally, Smith has held significant leadership roles on statewide committees and advisory groups, including the Kansas Future Fellows, Partnership for Early Success, Kansas Early Childhood Recommendations Panel, Child Care Aware of America Joint Council, and others that shape Kansas’ early childhood practices and policy agenda. 

The Kansas Office of Early Childhood will begin operations on July 1, 2026, leading the state’s early childhood care and education system, including child care licensing, child care assistance, home visiting programs, and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund. Smith will begin serving in acting status pending confirmation by the Kansas Senate.  

A photo of Christi Smith available for media use can be found here. [ [link removed] ]

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