Diann Kitamura, Commissioner 

Diann Kitamura is the Deputy Superintendent of Equitable Education Services at the Sonoma County Office of Education. She returned to this position after retiring from Santa Rosa City School (SRCS) where she was a superintendent and associate superintendent for 10 years. During her tenure in SRCS she led the district through several crisis situations including wildfires, flooding, power shutdowns, and then COVID. Her public education career spans 41 years as a teacher, school counselor, site administrator and district administrator. Dr. Kitamura teaches at UC Berkeley Leaders for Equity and Democracy (LEAD) doctoral program. Dr. Kitamura volunteers her time as the Executive Director of the California Association of Asian and Pacific Leaders in Education (CAAPLE). 

Among her accomplishments, Diann was awarded the Association of California School Administrator 2020 Ferd Kiesel Memorial Distinguished Award. This is the highest award ACSA presents to a California administrator. Diann currently is on the statewide ACSA Superintendents Council. She was appointed to the Fiscal Crisis Management Team (FCMAT), the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence Advisory Council, and the California School Boards Association (CSBA) Superintendent’s Advisory Council.   

As the granddaughter of immigrants and whose mother was interned at the Amache Internment Camp, Diann is committed to serving students and their families by ensuring that our educational systems and structures provide quality equity centered educational and behavioral health opportunities for all students. She believes in sense-making learning experiences and supports that embrace our students’ assets, will engage, inspire, and empower them to dream big, find purpose, and thrive.