Learn more about the candidates in contested County-wide races:
Auditor-Controller
Ayore Riaunda
Ayore Riaunda has the required knowledge of government accounting and best practices as well as the experience necessary to ensure the County is efficient and gets the most out of each dollar it uses. For over 17 years, he has performed high level accounting, budgeting, planning, auditing, and financial reporting in Health Services – the largest County department.
Altogether, Ayore Riaunda has over 28 years of professional fiscal management experience and is prepared to be a very effective Auditor-Controller.
Ayore Riaunda is a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) and has worked diligently to improve communities through many socially-minded efforts, including:
military veteran with over 18 years of service at home and abroad, providing joint logistic, religious, morale and welfare support to civilians and service members during combat, peacetime, and humanitarian operations;
auditing services with ADRA (an non-profit organization) for clinics and development projects in Africa;
co-directing a non-profit organization set up to provide housing and education to homeless children;
various community projects and activities in both Contra Costa and Alameda counties over the years (including poll worker, tax return preparations for low income residents, and numerous local church community outreach programs).
Ayore Riaunda was a full time worker and student while pursuing and completing a nursing studies and Bachelor and Master of Business Administration degrees, without any financial aid or loans. He moved to California 22 years ago and lives in Contra Costa County with his wife and son.
http://www.democracy.com/AyoreRiaunda/bio.aspx
Superintentdant of Schools
Linda Delehunt
No offical bio available
These are biographical highlights from a past race
- Occupation: Retired Program Manager
- Doctorate, Educational Leadership, University of Pacific
- Masters, Cal State East Bay
- B.A., UC Berkeley
- Former Consultant, State of California
- Community Volunteer History: Girl Scout Leader, EFO Board Member, Glorietta Parents Club Board, OIS Parents Club Board
- Board Member, UC Berkeley, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/linda-delehunt-ed-d/5b/710/562
Karen Sakata
Karen has always had an affinity for and a “special place in her heart” for students with challenges. She believes the goal of public education is to find and build upon the strengths of every student, and to find ways to support every child’s individual learning goal.
Karen received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley in Psychology and her MA from San Jose State University in Speech Pathology. She holds credentials which include Restricted Speech and Hearing with Special Class Authorization, Resource Specialist Certificate, and Administrative Services. She is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist and has a Certificate of Clinical Competences (CCC)-Speech Pathology from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA).
Karen was the first Asian American Administrator in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and the first Cabinet level administrator in the Contra Costa County Office of Education. She is a candidate for Superintendent of Schools for Contra Costa County 2014. She is the ACSA Region 6 Central Office Administrator of the Year (AOY) 2014.
Karen is a third generation Japanese-American, Sansei. Her parents, graduates of UC Berkeley and USC were interned during World War II in relocation/concentration camps in Topaz, Utah and Poston, Arizona. Karen was born and raised in San Francisco and currently resides in Alamo, California with her husband, Shima. She has two sons.