(San Francisco, CA, July 20, 2015)—Today the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), announced that Family Law Director Cathy Sakimura will become Deputy Director. In her new role Sakimura will manage the day-to-day operations of the organization and all of its departments, and provide strategic support to all staff in achieving NCLR’s mission and goals. Sakimura will continue on her role as Family Law Director overseeing and directing NCLR’s family law work.

Sakimura first came to NCLR in 2004 as a law clerk, and then joined the staff full time in 2006 as an Equal Justice Works Fellow. With a focus on increasing services to families of color, she founded NCLR’s Family Protection Project in 2006 to improve access to family law services for low-income LGBTQ parents and their children.

“Cathy is a proven leader and a very valued member of NCLR’s team,” said NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell. “We are delighted to have her talent, commitment and vision in this new and important role.”

“I am excited to take on this new role at NCLR helping improve collaboration throughout the organization as we work to achieve our vision of a world where every person is free from every kind of oppression,” said Sakimura. “Over my last nine years at NCLR, I have been constantly inspired by the passion and commitment of each of our staff, and I’m delighted to be in a position to help us all work together more effectively in representing our clients, advocating for legislative and policy change, and providing public education about the needs and rights of LGBTQ people and their families.”

Sakimura received her J.D. from U.C. Hastings College of the Law in 2006 and her B.A. from Stanford University in 2001. Prior to law school, she worked at Gay-Straight Alliance Network, where she empowered young people to combat harassment in their schools and participated in a multi-organization project linking work against homophobia with work against racism. She was also previously a member of the Board of Directors of COLAGE, a national movement of children, youth, and adults with one or more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer parents.

Sakimura is a national expert in LGBTQ family law, and in her role as Family Law Director works on a range of issues including parentage, custody, adoption, assisted reproduction, relationship recognition, and public benefits. She is a co-author of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Family Law, published by Thomson Reuters. In 2012, she was named one of the Best LGBTQ Lawyers under 40 by the National LGBTQ Bar Association.