Biography:

Mary (von Rotz) Sakuma has served in public education for nearly 30 years, during which she has served as a classroom teacher, school site principal, and district superintendent before joining the team Butte County Office of Education (BCOE). For the four and a half years prior to her assuming her current role, she served as Assistant Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent for BCOE. Mary is the first woman elected to the position of Butte County Superintendent of Schools.

Mary was sworn in as Butte County Superintendent of Schools in January of 2019, just weeks after the devastating Camp Fire ripped through multiple communities in Butte County, destroying or damaging many schools, and leaving more than 4,000 students homeless.

Mary Sakuma has spent her entire professional career in service to students and families of Northern California.  Sakuma was Superintendent of Durham Unified School District from 2010 to 2014. Prior to that, Sakuma served for four years as Superintendent/Principal of Junction Elementary School District in Palo Cedro (Shasta County).  During that time she was recognized by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) as Superintendent/Principal of the Year, 2010, for California.

Sakuma earned her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, her teaching credential at CSU, Chico, and her M.A. in Education as well as her Administrative Services Credential from Simpson College / University.

Day 2:

Breakout and Peer to Peer Session: After the Storm Leadership Panel: Recovering Schools After Tragedy & Disaster