Samara Palko has joined the California Catholic Conference as the new Director of Education.
A well-known advocate for children, Palko has been an educational leader in public and private schools for over 15 years. A respected school administrator skilled in building education partnerships with all stakeholders to advance student achievement, social and emotional health, school budgets and funding, and professional teacher and staff development.
“Samara’s background in the classroom, as an administrator, and her previous work on policy and community organizations make her an outstanding addition to our lobbying team at the California Catholic Conference,” said CCC Executive Director Kathleen Domingo. “We are so excited for her work promoting high-quality educational opportunities and know that students, parents, teachers, and schools will all benefit from her work.”
“I am excited and honored to join the CCC as the Director of Education,” said Palko. “I have a deep passion for supporting high-quality education for all California students attending public and private school from the formative years through college. And I have a deep appreciation for parents and guardians of these students and feel very strongly that parents and guardians should have the choice of public, charter, independent, or faith-based schooling for their children.”
Palko holds a Master of Arts Degree in Education Leadership and Policy Studies. She is a Certified Autism Specialist with credentials in California Administrative Services, California Multiple Subjects with an English Language Arts supplement, and Cross-Cultural Language and Academic Development. She is the founder of the Sacramento Parents Group.