Kristin Wright has a long history in public service. After a 5-year stint as a legislative staffer in the California State Assembly, Kristin spent numerous years serving Sacramento’s homeless population at Volunteers of America where she worked with individuals struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. After taking time off to raise her children, Wright returned to public service-this time with her focus on education. With the birth of her middle daughter, Shelby, who has significant intellectual and physical disabilities, Kristin’s interest in education grew culminating in the receipt of her CA Education Specialist Teaching Credential and a Masters in Special Education with a focus on students with moderate to severe disabilities. Wright has spent a number of years working as an education consultant on projects for clients including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Educational Results Partnership www.edresults.org - a non-profit student improvement organization focused on student achievement, data and best practices. During that time, Wright also served for eight years as a California Senate appointee to the California Advisory Commission on Special Education-her last four in the role of Chair. After spending several years working at the California Department of Education CDE, where she served in the role of Education Programs Consultant and liaison in the Special Education Division, Wright then worked for the California State Board of Education as an Education Policy Consultant and liaison between the State Board and the CDE working on k-12 education policy with a focus on special education. As of September 2016, Wright returns to the CDE as the Director of the Special Education Division.
Kristen Wright Director of Special Education, California Department of Education
Presentation: A DISCUSSION WITH THE STATE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
