As the Vice President for Policy and Strategy, Pattillo Brownson strengthens First 5 LA’s profile and influence on local and statewide early childhood public policy, legislative and advocacy efforts. In addition to overseeing First 5 LA's relationships with and advocacy campaigns to local, state, and federal policy makers, Pattillo Brownson also leads First 5 LA's external strategic partnerships with philanthropy, business, municipalities, and higher education, while orchestrating communications and marketing to drive stronger outcomes for children and families in L.A. County. Pattillo Brownson previously chaired the Early Childhood Committee for the AB 1520 Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty Task Force and was appointed by Governor Newsom to the California State Board of Education.

Pattillo Brownson previously served as the Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Advancement Project, a civil rights organization engaged in policy and systems change to foster upward mobility in communities most impacted by economic and racial injustice. In this capacity, she led the Advancement Project’s policy and advocacy staff across Sacramento, Los Angeles and the Bay Area and provided strategic direction to their work on early education, school funding, and school facilities, public budgeting transparency, governmental relations, and state and local campaign advocacy. In addition to spearheading statewide coalition work on the early childhood budget, her local coalition work at the Los Angeles Unified School District resulted in over $1 billion in increased investment in the highest-need neighborhoods for K-12 and early learning students, and expanded early learning programs for almost 8,000 young children.

Prior to joining the Advancement Project, Kim was an education attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, where she focused on educational equity issues in California schools. Previously, she worked in private sector litigation at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Kim began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Dolores Sloviter on the Third Circuit Court of Appeal, and the Honorable Louis H. Pollak in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Prior to law school, Kim worked at the Boston Consulting Group, where she provided financial and strategic planning services to Fortune 500 companies.

Pattillo Brownson earned a Doctor of Law degree from Yale Law School and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies.