Kata Issari

Kata Issari has been working in the field of sexual and domestic violence for close to 35 years. She is an advocate, educator, fundraiser, therapist, and community activist. She has over 20 years experience as a manager and has worked with many agencies as an organizational consultant and anti-oppression trainer. After completing her MSW at the University of Michigan, Kata established the first clinical program, including a 24-hour rape crisis line, at the campus’ Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. She has served on the boards of the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Advocates for Abused and Battered Lesbians (now the Northwest Network) and the Women’s Funding Alliance in Seattle. Kata has lectured throughout the U.S. and Pacific on a variety of issues related to sexual and domestic violence.

She is a founding member of INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, and is currently on the faculty of the Advocacy Learning Center, a project of Praxis International and Manavi. Originally from Iran, Kata immigrated to the U.S. as a child and currently lives in Honolulu, where for over a decade she managed Parent And Children Together’s Family Peace Center, a domestic violence program serving survivors, batterers and children exposed to domestic violence. Kata joined the Joyful Heart Foundation in 2011 and currently serves as Joyful Heartʻs Executive Director of the Hawaiʻi Region.