Kristen Gibbs – Starting Early

January 23, 2026January 23, 2026

Maternal Health Awareness Day — a time to reflect

👋 Happy New Year!

Today — January 23 — is Maternal Health Awareness Day. It’s an occasion that invites reflection on whether we’re doing enough to care for mothers, babies, and families.

In New Jersey, we’ve come a long way. Eight years ago, our state was experiencing some of the nation’s worst maternal health, amid stark and widening racial disparities. Since then, New Jersey has made sustained progress on many fronts. Among them: expanding postpartum Medicaid coverage, supporting doula services, and launching the groundbreaking Family Connects NJ free home nurse visits to the homes of newborns.

We’re grateful to the Murphy Administration — especially First Lady Tammy Murphy — for elevating maternal health as a statewide priority through the Nurture NJ initiative and grounding that work in listening to families, community leaders, and health workers.

September 19, 2025September 19, 2025

Rx for play 🏃‍♀️👟⚽

Starting Early is back from our summer break!

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I didn’t grow up with much exposure to sports, so it still surprises me that I’m now a soccer mom who spends weekends crisscrossing New Jersey to watch my sons play. From the sidelines, I see kids of all backgrounds running, high-fiving, and building friendships that stretch far beyond the field.

A few years ago, I met Denny Boyle, fellow soccer parent and passionate champion of Soccer Without Borders. His love for sports and belief in its power to bring people together was contagious. Denny’s story — about how playing sports shaped his life and opened doors to connection, community, and leadership — reminded me that play is so much more than a game.

April 25, 2025April 26, 2025

Paid leave works for families

👋 Especially in the earliest days, parenthood is a rollercoaster. There’s learning, bonding, worrying, feeding, changing — all while trying to grab a few precious hours of sleep.

During those early weeks with my newborn son, I had a moment of clarity: The health of a parent, especially a mother, is deeply connected to the support systems around her. I was fortunate to have 12 weeks of paid leave through my employer. But not everyone is so lucky — 1 in 4 women in the U.S. return to work within just 2 weeks of giving birth, often because they can’t afford to stay home longer.