Biography, Karen Sakata

By Karen Sakata

Karen has always had an affinity for and a "special place in her heart" for students with challenges. She believes the goal of public education is to find and build upon the strengths of every student, and to find ways to support every child's individual learning goal.

Karen believes in being actively involved in professional organizations; both California Speech Language and Hearing Association (CSHA), and the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). She has been Director Region 3 of CSHA, president of the Diablo Managers Association for the Mt. Diablo Unified School District ACSA Charter, and Vice President-Programs and President for ACSA Region 6. Currently she serves as Vice President-Legislative Action for ACSA Region 6 which represents Contra Costa and Alameda Counties.

Karen received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley in Psychology and her MA from San Jose State University in Speech Pathology. She holds credentials which include Restricted Speech and Hearing with Special Class Authorization, Resource Specialist Certificate, and Administrative Services. She is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist and has a Certificate of Clinical Competences (CCC)-Speech Pathology from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA).

Karen was the first Asian American Administrator in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and the first Cabinet level administrator in the Contra Costa County Office of Education. She is a candidate for Superintendent of Schools for Contra Costa County 2014. She is the ACSA Region 6 Central Office Administrator of the Year (AOY) 2014.

Karen is a third generation Japanese-American, Sansei. Her parents, graduates of UC Berkeley and USC were interned during World War II in relocation/concentration camps in Topaz, Utah and Poston, Arizona. Karen was born and raised in San Francisco and currently resides in Alamo, California with her husband, Shima. She has two sons: Scott who will graduate optometry school in Philadelphia in May 2014, and Kurt who graduated in animal sciences from UC Davis and manages a veterinary hospital.Both sons were graduates of Monte Vista High in Danville, CA. Karen's hobbies include coaching basketball and playing taiko, Japanese big drums.