William Matsuzaki
“It’s just such a rewarding path, and I think being grounded on what it means to be a great teacher is at the top of my mind each day as I lead the upper school.”
School of Education
Teacher Development & Leadership, EdD 2013
Dean of Curriculum, Director of Honors College at All Saints’ Episcopal School
William‘s Podcast Episode
In this episode, we discuss how William discovered his passion for teaching, the path that led him to pursue a doctoral degree in Teacher Development and Leadership, and his advice for entering the world of K-12 administration and the importance of relying on a support network to balance the demands of the job.
Learn More About William‘s Story
So many things unsaid, so many unknowns, but this image represents the many courageous acts of my dad. My dad was a quiet person throughout my life, working hard, being gentle to us and leading by example. As I grew older, I realized that I didn’t know much about him as he was very private. The more that I learned about his past, I was able to understand why he might have been so careful with his words. My dad was born in Hawaii in 1923 and served for the US Army during World War II in the 442nd Infantry Regimental Combat Team, a unit composed almost entirely of second-generation American soldiers of Japanese ancestry. I cannot imagine what he went through and what he endured both during the war and returning to the United States during that era so that his four kids can have a better life.
Representation is one of the keys in each of us striving for what’s available, but also for the possibilities. As an Asian American, I never saw myself as a leader growing up. At my first People of Color Conference, I heard one of the first Asian American heads of color speak and that helped me continue to fuel my love and passion for being an administrator at independent schools. Her speech inspired me and spoke to the importance of mentorship. As I reflected on this experience, I was reminded of Mrs. Michelle Obama’s quote: We should always have three friends in our lives—one who walks ahead who we look up to and follow; one who walks beside us, who is with us every step of our journey; and then one who we reach back for and bring along after we’ve cleared the way.
