Kristen Yasukawa

Kristen Yasukawa has a diverse work experience spanning over a decade. Kristen started their career in 2006 as a Nikkei Community Intern and Tomodachi Day Camp Adult Supervisor at the Japanese Community Youth Council. Kristen then worked as a Public Information Office Assistant at the San Joaquin County Office of Education in 2006-2007.

In 2007, Yasukawa joined LucyCo Communications as a Public Outreach Specialist until 2009. Kristen then transitioned to the City of San Jose as a Marketing & Public Outreach Representative in the Environmental Services department. During their time there from 2009 to 2011, they successfully implemented the community engagement plan for the San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility master plan.

In 2012, Yasukawa joined the Alameda County Office of Education as a Public Information Officer, during which they managed news and information dissemination and served as a media spokesperson. In 2013, they worked at the City of San Jose as a Marketing & Public Outreach Representative II in the Environmental Services department, where they coordinated outreach projects and developed strategic communication plans.

From 2014, Yasukawa joined the Santa Clara Valley Water District, initially as a Public Information Representative II, leading public outreach and communication plans for flood protection, water utility, and stream stewardship programs. Kristen then served as a Management Analyst II and a Community Benefits Program Administrator, taking on responsibilities such as implementing voter-approved parcel tax programs, coordinating annual reports, developing strategic communications plans, and producing multilingual outreach materials.

Throughout their career, Yasukawa has demonstrated strong leadership skills, supervising employees and serving as a team lead in various roles. Kristen has also developed and implemented strategic communication plans, built relationships with partner agencies, and achieved project objectives by leveraging resources and ensuring unified messages of support.

From 2004 to 2007, Kristen Yasukawa attended the University of the Pacific and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.