Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Published Works
Presentations
Affiliations
Media Coverage
Timeline
Generic

Dr. Diann Kitamura

Acampo,CA

Summary

Visionary educational leader with over 43 years of experience in public education, dedicated to fostering inclusion and accessibility. Committed to driving growth and enhancing learning through equity-driven decisions and policies that shape the direction of the district or organization. Recognized as a decisive leader and collaborative problem-solver, consistently achieving success in program, policy, and staff development initiatives. Passionate about creating impactful changes in social justice and equity systems to ensure every student has access to a meaningful and culturally rich education.

Overview

35
35
years of professional experience

Work History

Lead Doctoral Program Lecturer

UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education
01.2022

Commissioner, Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs

State of California
03.2025

Executive Director

California Association of Asian and Pacifica Leaders in Education (CAAPLE)
02.2023

Deputy Superintendent

Sonoma County Office of Education
05.2023

Superintendent

Santa Rosa City Schools
01.2016 - 06.2021

School Improvement Coordinator

Hayward USD
01.2011 - 06.2013

School Board Trustee

Galt Joint Union High School District
01.2008 - 01.2012

Assistant Superintendent

Grant Joint Union HSD
01.2007 - 01.2008

Director, Student Services

Grant Joint Union HSD
01.2004 - 01.2007

Vice Principal

Galt Joint Union HSD
01.1999 - 01.2004

Principal

Galt Joint Union HSD
01.2002 - 01.2003

School Counselor

Galt Joint Union HSD
06.1997 - 06.1999

School Counselor

Maxwell USD
01.1990 - 01.1997

Agriculture Teacher

Maxwell USD
01.1986 - 01.1990

Education

Doctor of Education - Organizational Leadership

Brandman University/UMass Global
Irvine, CA
03.2019

Administrative Services Credential -

California State University
Stanislaus, CA

Master of Science - Counseling

California State University
Sacramento, CA

Pupil Personnel Services Credential - undefined

California State University
Sacramento, CA

Agricultural Specialist Credential - undefined

California State University
Chico, CA

Bachelor of Science - Crop Science

California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo, CA

Skills

  • Equity and Inclusion Policy Development
  • Culturally Conscious Systems Development
  • Leadership Capacity Building
  • Equity-focused strategic planning
  • Courageous Discourse Support and Development
  • Effective crisis response leadership
  • Transforming qualitative data into measurable actions
  • Innovative solutions development
  • Ethical and Inclusive Decision Making

Accomplishments

  • International Educational Leadership Short-Term Program, UMass Global and Shanghai Open University 2025
  • California Governor appointment to the State Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs 2025
  • LAUSD Strategic Metric Task Force for Crisis 2025
  • California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) Chronic Absenteeism Work Group 2025
  • Statewide Equity Math Leadership Advisory Group 2025
  • Awarded the CDE Math Professional Learning Project grant for $20M 05/2025
  • Awarded the CDE statewide Equity Lead grant for $14M 11/2024
  • Awarded the ACSA Ferd. J. Kiesel Memorial 2020
  • Awarded the 2019 Brandman University Distinguished Educational Leader Fellow (DELF) $50,000
  • CSBA Golden Bell Award-Social Justice and Equity 2016
  • Awarded the SCASA Sonoma County Assistant Superintendent of the Year 2014-15
  • Named the KRCB Radio American Graduate Champion 2014-15
  • Led Santa Rosa City Schools (SRCS) through crisis resulting from the Tubbs, Kincade, Glass, and Wallbridge wildfires from 2017 to 2021

Published Works

Doctor of Education, Organizational Leadership, 03/2019
Dissertation Title: "Crisis Leadership and Management of School Superintendents During the 2017-2018
California Wildfires"
Committee: Dr. Keith Larick (chair), Dr. Tim McCarty, Dr. General Davie


Press Democrat Newspaper, 03/2021

Article Title:  "Close to Home: Anti-Asian violence has no place in Sonoma County or in America"

Online:  https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/opinion/close-to-home-anti-asian-violence-has-no-place-in-sonoma-county-or-in-amer/?utm_source=article_share&utm_medium=copy-link-button


Urban Education Book Review, Sage Publications, 08/2025

Journal Title:  "Teaching the Invisible Race:  A Pro-Asian American Lens in Schools by Tony DelaRosa (2023)"

Online:  https://doi.org/10.1177/00420859251353782

Presentations

  • CAAPLE Conference Superintendents Panel: 2023, 2024, 2025
  • ACSA Superintendent Symposium: Presentations 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
  • Black Student Achievement: Best Practices to Support a Reduction in Discipline and Keeping Children in the Classroom, 2024
  • ACSA Equity Conference Presentation 5/2023
    Equity and Inclusion: Future Superintendent Institute University of San Diego
  • Getting to Yes - The Board's Role in Negotiations: CSBA Annual Education Conference 2023
  • Leading During a Crisis: CSBA Annual Education Conference 2022
    Lifting Up All Students with Equity: CSBA Annual Education Conference 2022
    Anti-Asian Hate: How We Must Act Now: Representative Mike Thompson Roundtable Press Conference
    Addressing Anti-Asian Violence: Sonoma County Supervisor Lynda Hopkins Roundtable
    Social Emotional Learning and the Pandemic: Wayfinder Spring Summit 2021
    Leading Through Crisis with Superintendent Kitamura: California Collaborative for Educational Excellence Podcast
    Leadership in a Crisis: Brandman University Immersion
    The Superintendent: Leading in Times of Crisis: Crisis Leadership ACSA Webinar Series
    Response, Recovery, Rebuilding: ACSA Leadership Symposium
    Leadership During the Fires: ACSA Women's Leadership Symposium
    Response, Recovery, Rebuilding: Los Cien American Leaders in Sonoma County
    Leadership During the Fires: National School Boards Association
    Investing in Our Own: Successful Partnerships: Cultural Proficiency Institute
    How Asian American Leaders Build Voice for Change: ACSA AAPI Equity Network
    Santa Rosa City Schools and a-g Graduation Requirements: North Coast Builders Exchange Beyond College and Career Readiness
    Rising from the Ashes: SRCS Response to the Fire: CSBA Annual Education Conference
    Partnership to Support Students: Santa Rosa Violence Prevention
    Leading During a Crisis: World Affairs Council
    Equity Centered Leadership During COVID-19: Latino Health Forum
    Leadership During a Crisis: Sonoma Rotary
    Redefining Graduation Requirements: Los Cien
    Steam Champions ieSonoma: Sonoma County Office of Ed
    Math Professional Learning Through Lesson Study: California Math Project
    Cultural Proficiency Institute: Robins Group/Artful Alliance
    Lancer Round-Up (Tennyson High Professional Development): Hayward Unified School District
    Thinking Our Way to Phenomenal Levels of Latino Student Achievement: ASCD Annual Conference
    Leadership for New Principals: New and Aspiring Administrators ACSA
    Backstage: Insights into Student Achievement: Insight Education Group
    Equity Institute: EDEquity Educational Organization
    Hmong National Development Conference: Denver, Colorado
    California State Title I Conference: California Department of Education
    California Association Child Welfare Attendance CASCWA, Santa Rosa
    Through New Eyes: Examining School Culture: Galt Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA)

Affiliations

California Alliance for Equity Leaders Founding Leader 01/2024 to present
ACSA Statewide Legislative Policy Committee 2023 to present
California Association of Asian & Pacific Leaders in Education (CAAPLE) Board of Directors 2022to present
Made in Santa Rosa Educational Foundation Board Member 2021-2024
Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) Board of Directors Region 1 2021-2023
Project Wayfinder Advisory Board 2021-2025
California School Boards Association (CSBA) Superintendent's Council 2017-2021
California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) Advisory Council 2019-2021
FCMAT Board of Directors Region 1 Alternate 2019-2021
Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) 2000-present

Media Coverage

  • 10-23-17 - The Takeaway, WNYC
    Approximately 16,400 students have been out of school since October 8th, and as the schools prepare to open their doors, the lesson plans will include new support systems for both students and teachers who lost homes in the fires. Diann Kitamura, is superintendent for Santa Rosa City Schools, discusses the challenges ahead.
    http://www.wnyc.org/story/northern-california-schools-prepare-reopen/
  • 10-27-17 - SF Chronicle - Santa Rosa schools reopen after fires, ready to help students with stress.
    http://www.sfchronicle.com/education/article/Wildfire-danger-is-past-but-stress-can-linger-12312685.php
  • 4/2/18 - Sacramento Bee (and other McClatchy newspapers) - A difficult year; schools are still recovering from the fires.
    http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article207688414.html
  • 12/27/19 - Washington Post - America's schools are more diverse than ever. But the teachers are still mostly white.
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/local/education/teacher-diversity/
  • 11/14/20 - Press Democrat Profile of Diann Kitamura- Santa Rosa Superintendent plays pivotal role in students' return to classroom
    https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/santa-rosa-superintendent-plays-pivotal-role-in-students-return-to-classr/
  • 3/22/21 - Close to Home: Anti-Asian violence has no place in Sonoma County or in America. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/opinion/close-to-home-anti-asian-violence-has-no-place-in-sonoma-county-or-in-amer/
  • 5/21/21 - Educational Week - A Lauded Superintendent Retires After Years of Crises: ‘I Don't Want to Become Bitter' http://www.edweek.org/leadership/a-lauded-superintendent-retires-after-years-of-crises-i-dont-want-to-become-bitter/2021/05
  • 06/20 -La Voz- Person of the Month https://view.publitas.com/la-voz-bilingual-newspaper/june_2020/page/1

Timeline

Commissioner, Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs

State of California
03.2025

Deputy Superintendent

Sonoma County Office of Education
05.2023

Executive Director

California Association of Asian and Pacifica Leaders in Education (CAAPLE)
02.2023

Lead Doctoral Program Lecturer

UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education
01.2022

Superintendent

Santa Rosa City Schools
01.2016 - 06.2021

School Improvement Coordinator

Hayward USD
01.2011 - 06.2013

School Board Trustee

Galt Joint Union High School District
01.2008 - 01.2012

Assistant Superintendent

Grant Joint Union HSD
01.2007 - 01.2008

Director, Student Services

Grant Joint Union HSD
01.2004 - 01.2007

Principal

Galt Joint Union HSD
01.2002 - 01.2003

Vice Principal

Galt Joint Union HSD
01.1999 - 01.2004

School Counselor

Galt Joint Union HSD
06.1997 - 06.1999

School Counselor

Maxwell USD
01.1990 - 01.1997

Agriculture Teacher

Maxwell USD
01.1986 - 01.1990

Master of Science - Counseling

California State University

Pupil Personnel Services Credential - undefined

California State University

Agricultural Specialist Credential - undefined

California State University

Bachelor of Science - Crop Science

California Polytechnic State University

Doctor of Education - Organizational Leadership

Brandman University/UMass Global

Administrative Services Credential -

California State University