Michele Kayal Vice President, Media and Communications
Michele Kayal is an award-winning journalist who has covered everything from post-Communist Europe to country music cookbooks for the New York Times, Associated Press, NPR and other national outlets. As a “recovering reporter” she now deploys her media and communications skills on behalf of the children served by First Focus and First Focus Campaign for Children.
Before joining First Focus, Michele spent three years leading communications for Relief International, a $100 million humanitarian organization providing refugee assistance in 16 countries. For more on Michele’s background, please visit her LinkedIn profile.
Children’s mental health would get boost from bill
Michele Kayal | May 10, 2022 |
Strengthening the role of schools in mental health promotion, prevention and intervention is key to battling the mental health crisis afflicting our nation’s children, experts said during First Focus on Children’s Kids and …
More than 100 organizations back child poverty reduction bill
Michele Kayal | March 14, 2022 |
More than 100 national and state-based organizations called on Congress today to establish a national child poverty reduction target that would cut child poverty in half within a …
“Children’s bill” must remain intact, advocate says
Michele Kayal | February 3, 2022 |
First Focus Campaign for Children today urged the Biden Administration to fulfill its historic commitment to children by working to pass a comprehensive, intact Build …
6 consequences of losing Build Back Better
Michele Kayal | December 22, 2021 |
The Build Back Better Act promised hard-won stability for all of our nation’s 74 million children. Abandoning this legislation would reverse the economic and …
Homeless youth bill would improve access to services and advance equity
Michele Kayal | December 16, 2021 |
First Focus Campaign for Children, SchoolHouse Connection, National Network for Youth, Family Promise, and Covenant House International applaud the introduction of the bipartisan Homeless …
Statement: “Treat Children Like Children”
Michele Kayal | October 21, 2021 |
Bruce Lesley, President at First Focus Campaign for Children, made the following statement as advocacy groups and members of Congress, including Representatives Tony Cárdenas (D- …
Five-year waiting period hurts children, women
Michele Kayal | September 10, 2021 |
Today’s introduction of the Lifting Immigrant Families Through Benefits Access Restoration Act of 2021 (LIFT the BAR Act) would level the playing field for thousands of …
Statement: HEAL for Immigrant Families Act expands health care access for immigrants
Michele Kayal | May 13, 2021 |
Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus Campaign for Children, made the following statement in response to the introduction of “The Health Equity and Access under …
More than 250 advocate groups urge White House to fight child poverty
Michele Kayal | April 20, 2021 |
More than 250 national, state, and local organizations are urging the White House to build on the extraordinary child poverty-fighting measures in the latest …
This is the moment — How ordinary people can help America’s kids
Michele Kayal | April 15, 2021 |
It shocks many people to know that the United States has among the highest rates of child poverty in the developed world. That 15 …