Leadership in Caring Award

Iao Katagiri

“Bringing a spotlight to the tremendous contributions of one of the brightest lights in Santa Monica for community service, collaboration, and leadership — that was Iao Katagiri.”

—Kathryn Jeffrey,
Superintendent and President,
Santa Monica College

“Gone from our community all too soon, Iao will never be forgotten, always in our hearts and forever missed. It is our privilege to honor her at this year’s Celebration of Caring event.”

—Grace Cheng Braun,
President and CEO,
WISE & Healthy Aging

We pay tribute to longtime community advocate, Iao Katagiri, for more than 40 years of leadership, collaboration and service on behalf of Westside residents.

Iao passed away unexpectedly on April 28 at the age of 70, after battling a very fast progression of cancer. Despite her condition and being uncertain as to whether she would be able to attend this year’s Celebration of Caring Event, Iao had graciously allowed us to honor her as we had initially planned three years ago, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

At the time of her passing, Iao was first vice chair of WISE & Healthy Aging’s Board of Directors, served as Board Chair of Providence Saint John’s Health Center and co-chair of the Early Childhood District Advisory Committee of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. She was immediate past president of Connections for Children, past co-chair of the City of Santa Monica’s Early Childhood Task Force and had served on the boards of SMC Associates and the Westside Food Bank, among many others.

Having retired in 2016 as Community Relations Director after a 41-year career at the RAND Corporation, Iao stayed just as busy if not busier in retirement, continuing her involvement with nonprofits, city officials, business and community leaders and residents to make a difference in our community.

As Michael Rich, president and CEO of RAND told the Santa Monica Daily Press, “She had a strong moral compass, was tireless in terms of energy level and was really at her best when she was helping other people, particularly people who came from disadvantaged backgrounds or had other obstacles that they were capable of overcoming if only they had help. She prided herself on enabling people like that to succeed.”

From infants and children to older adults, Iao’s finger was on the pulse of community life for decades. As past co-chair of the City of Santa Monica’s Early Childhood Task Force, she also served on the planning committee that developed the state-of-the-art Santa Monica Early Childhood Lab School, a joint venture of the City and Santa Monica College, that after 30 years of advocacy and planning opened in 2021.

A visionary and long-term strategist, Iao saw the need for programs and services among the growing numbers of older adults and their caregivers early on. Her insight was instrumental in the merger between Center for Healthy Aging and WISE Senior Services to become WISE & Healthy Aging in November 2007. The merger effectively pooled the expertise and resources of both organizations to advance their mission-based activities and services to provide even greater positive community impact as one organization in the years ahead.

A special scholarship fund in Iao’s name to support caregivers of the elderly is being established. For more information, please contact Grace Cheng Braun, President and CEO, WISE & Healthy Aging at (310) 394-9871, ext. 440.