Overcoming Adversity, Strong Work Ethic

Kim has overcome many adversities in her life. Losing her father at a young age taught her how to overcome challenges and obstacles. Her work ethic runs deep; she found jobs at a young age to help her family succeed. Kim’s early experiences were shaped by compassion and hard work. Her family struggled, directly impacting Kim’s leadership in social work and serving her community.

Legacy of Leadership

Kim’s family is grounded in public service. Her mother, Nancy De Serpa, was the aide for the first elected female Supervisor in Monterey County history, Barbara Shipnuck. Nancy later worked for Supervisor Simon Salinas and finished her career working for nearly 20 years for Congressman Sam Farr. The torch was passed onto Kim in 2010 when she was elected to the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees. Kim is one of the longest-serving and most effective education leaders in Santa Cruz County.

Improving Student Achievement and Outcomes

Kim has served as an elected member of the PVUSD Board of Trustees for over a decade. She is well-respected by school administrators, teachers, and classified workers districtwide. Under her leadership, the district improved student achievement by more than 50 percent. Kim has a long-standing history of providing opportunities for students and families through her service in public education.

Examples include:

  • Championed and passed a $150 million school bond to improve learning environments for our students.

  • Developed and constructed the first playground in the county for kids with disabilities located in Aptos

  • Returned art and music programs to all campuses in our local schools.

  • Negotiated and led the construction and completion of the track and field at Pajaro Valley High School

  • Completed the first-of-its-kind Emeril Lagasse Community Garden and Culinary Kitchen in the County.

  • Spearheaded the creation of the local Edward J. Olmos Youth Cinema Project.

  • Brought the UCSC farm and garden, Life Lab, to schools throughout the district.

    Community Involvement

  • Board Member, Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, a behavioral health agency dedicated to the students and families in the district.

  • Chair, For Kids Foundation, Monterey Bay, a pediatric foundation that provides financial assistance to meet the needs of vulnerable children and youth in our community.

  • Member, School Board Association of Santa Cruz County

  • Delegate, California School Boards Association

  • Former Board Member, ETR, a non-profit organization committed to improving health outcomes and advancing health equity for youth, families, and communities.

  • Former Chair, Site Council, Valencia Elementary School 

  • Resource Development Officer, Valencia Elementary School, Home and School Club (secured $300,000 for the school to enhance programs for students)

  • Former Team Manager, Aptos Soccer and Aptos Little League 

Passion for Serving

Kim is committed to serving our community.  She has been a licensed and practicing social worker for more than 30 years. 

Her experience in social services and healthcare makes her a unique and unparalleled leader in our region. 

In 1994, Kim served as a Clinton Administration Intern at the US Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C.. This experience shaped and informed the remainder of Kim’s career in public service.

  • As a social worker, Kim worked directly in Child Welfare Services and Public Health Services, providing a firsthand experience of county service operations.  

  • Leading specialized training and technical assistance for child welfare, children’s behavioral health, and probation professionals.

  • Serving as a medical social worker at Dominican Hospital in Pediatrics, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Maternal Health, and the Emergency Department. 

  • As Clinical Manager and Director of Community Engagement for Hospice of Santa Cruz County, Kim expanded hospice services for individuals at end of life. 

  • As Social Services Manager for Salinas Valley Health Medical Center (formerly Memorial Hospital), during COVID, Kim created a grief support program for the Latinx community on the Central Coast. 

  • While at Salinas Valley Health, she created a Substance Use Navigation Program that assists individuals struggling with substance abuse. The goal was to transition individuals directly from the hospital into treatment. Her leadership led to the first hospital distribution of Narcan on the Central Coast.

  • Honored as Woman of the Year (2021), Watsonville International Women’s Day Coalition.

  • Kim is recognized throughout the region for leading policies that increase opportunities to hire and retain excellence in the workforce.

Kim’s Family

Kim lives in Aptos with her husband, Dr. Ned McNamara, a Stanford Children's Neonatologist. Together, they have successfully raised six adult children. In addition, she served as a foster parent for siblings in the child welfare system. She attended local public schools and graduated from Humboldt State University, where she took a pledge of social and environmental responsibility at her graduation. Later, she earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, the top school in the nation for her profession.  While there, Kim completed a graduate fellowship in Social Service Management. Kim is also a member of Temple Beth El in Aptos. Kim is an animal lover, and you can often find her at the beach with her dogs.