The best way to predict the future is to plan it. These words guide the spirit and work of Kathy DiRanna as the K-12 Alliance statewide director. Over the years, she has met many wonderful and talent educators who really are striving to make the world a better place. It's an honor to work among them!

Kathy's thirty-three years as an educator includes teaching experiences from elementary through the community college. She has extensive expertise in systemic reform, serving as the PI for the NSF funded SPAN program, the Co-PI/PD of California Systemic Initiative, co-PI of the NSF funded California Systemic Initiative Assessment Collaborative (CSIAC) and co-Project Director for the Professional Development Strand in the NSF funded Center for the Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning (CAESL). Kathy helped shape California's science reform in the 1990s, worked on the Challenge Standards, contributed to the 1998 Science Content Standards and served on the Instructional Materials Advisory Panel. She co-authored The Facilitators Guide to Science Assessment , Making Connections , and a Guide to the Selection and Purchase of Science Instructional Materials . She is a featured speaker at state and national conferences and received the California Science Teachers Association's highest award- The Margaret Nicholson Award for Distinguished Service to Science Education. She was recognized by WestEd with the Paul Hood Award for making outstanding contributions to the field and was awarded the Educator of the Year Award by Cal Alive! Current projects in addition to the K-12 Alliance work include: Co-director of the California Science Education Advisory Committee (CSEAC), Teaching Learning Collaborative (TLC) and the Using Data Project (UDP)

As the statewide director for the K-12 Alliance, Kathy's region stretches from the Oregon border to the Mexican board and from the desert to the sea!