Sheila Ater Capestany is the immediate past director of the Children, Youth and Young Adult Division with the King County Department of Community and Human Services in Washington state. During her tenure with King County, Capestany was an exceptional and influential leader of Best Starts for Kids, a voter-approved, community-driven children’s fund supporting King County’s children from prenatal development to adulthood.

Before transitioning to her new role as executive director of Start Early Washington, Capestany spoke with Marina Mendoza, our senior manager for early childhood impact, about what truly “community-driven” initiatives look like, important moments that shaped Best Starts for Kids’ success, and her advice for others looking to develop impactful children’s funds.