Sarina Sande

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Sarina attended Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools. Her entire career has been focused on creating a just education system where all students, and educators, can thrive. 

While studying education and sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, she found her passion for public education reform. After earning her master’s degree in teaching from the University of Southern California, Sarina taught fifth-grade for two years at LAUSD’s Vermont Avenue Elementary School in Central Los Angeles. After being laid off due to budget cuts, Sarina began teaching in New Orleans public schools, where, over the next five years, she taught every grade from first through fifth.

Sarina began her time at Educators for Excellence (E4E) in 2014 as an organizer, rallying teachers to raise their voices in support of necessary change in the LA education system. She harnessed the frustrations she experienced as an educator into a passion for elevating the voices of teachers who were not being heard by their district or their union. In her role as Executive Director, Sarina leads the LA-based E4E team in building a movement of educators to advocate for changes that will improve outcomes for students and uplift the profession.