Shock waves after board member killed
Kuo was struck by car at a school food distribution site
In two of her last public meetings as a board member, Catherine Kuo did what she did best — take time to thank and make connections with those around her and to speak out against antiAsian violence.
And in one of her final texts, she congratulated a colleague’s school district for a recent achievement.
“Big congratulations to your staff, they must have worked really hard,” she texted Emily Prusso, a Livermore Valley Joint Unified School Board member, on Monday.
That’s who Kuo was, Prusso said in an interview — thoughtful, honest, humble and sweet.
Kuo, 48, was struck by a car from behind on Wednesday while helping to distribute food boxes at Fallon Middle School. The accident pinned her between
two vehicles, and she died later that day in a hospital, according to police.
Authorities said the driver did not appear to be impaired and cooperated with investigators.
The accident sent shock waves throughout Dublin and nearby communities as news spread of the death of the well-known community figure, a member of the Dublin Unified School District board as well as the Tri-Valley Regional Occupational Program board.
The wife and mother of two was born in Redwood City, grew up in Saratoga and had lived in Dublin for the past 20 years. Her two children attend local schools.
Prusso became friends with her after they met as members of the Tri-Valley Regional Occupational Program board.
In their last meeting together on March 10, Kuo took time at the end of the session that’s usually allotted to give district updates to instead ask staff to share how they’ve been weathering the coronavirus pandemic.
“She was the opposite of pretentious,” Prusso said Thursday. “It’s very shocking. The hardest part is losing a friend, and losing
someone who has been a mentor to students. I think Dublin Unified lost an amazing woman,” she added, her voice breaking.
Dublin interim Superintendent Daniel Moirao reported the stunning news in a letter to parents on Wednesday night.
“What I must share with you is almost beyond comprehension,” Moirao said. “I’m struggling with the reality of what has transpired. This is a tragedy beyond words.
“Our heart goes out to Catherine’s family and friends. We can’t begin to fathom the impact of this loss to you. She dedicated so much of her heart, soul, and time to our community. Catherine had a lightness about her, a comforting manner that helped people feel at ease. She was friendly, nurturing, kind, and generous. We were lucky to have known her and will miss her more than words can express. There is a gaping hole in our hearts,” he wrote.
Kuo was volunteering Wednesday at Fallon as part of the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program, which helps families in the district hard hit by the pandemic.
Kuo had recently signed her name to a statement by other Tri-Valley educators and elected officials from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community decrying hateful
actions and crimes against Asian Americans.
On Tuesday, during her last school board meeting, Kuo spoke out against antiAsian hate and violence, having herself heard references to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus.”
“We are in control of our minds, we can stop the judgmental thoughts that feed this. We can push ourselves to be better and think different,” she said.
Dawn Nwamuo, who also ran for the Dublin school board, planned to have Kuo on her podcast, “Conversations Rock,” on Thursday afternoon to discuss the topic of racism.
“I was moved by our recent conversations this week as Catherine was finding her voice to speak out against the racism and hate towards Asians. Her desire to share some of her life and family experiences in our podcast style convo together, to break down barriers of deeply seated racism between the Asian and Black community,” Nwamuo said in an email to this newspaper.
Susanna Wong Ordway, president of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District board, said she was devastated by the loss of a great friend. The two collaborated last summer on a training exercise for an internship program to provide students an opportunity to learn about public service.
“We just spoke with each other a day or so ago, and I can’t believe she’s gone,” Ordway said. “We bonded during this past 18 months in our mutual goals to serve our respective school districts and to represent a perspective on our boards that would better benefit our school communities.”
Amy Miller, a former Dublin Unified board trustee who served with Kuo, said losing a fellow mom, a volunteer and someone so young hit too close to home.
“Losing her, and in such a tragic way, has created ripples throughout Dublin and beyond; everyone’s hearts are broken. My prayers are for her children and husband, and all those who knew her and loved her,” Miller said.
“For me, she will forever be the bridge that brings us together in our beautiful town, the constant reminder of what is truly important.”
Kuo was first selected in a special election in November 2019 to fill an empty seat on the school board, then won reelection after running unopposed in November 2020 for a full term. She was an active community volunteer for nine years and served on districtwide committees.
She was born in Redwood City to Korean immigrant parents and had a psychology degree from UCLA.
“When she is not talking to parents, staff and students, and preparing for and attending board meetings, she loves getting lost in books, gathering with friends, watching movies with her family, and finding creative ways to teach her children to be responsible and to be kind,” reads her biography on the district website.
A GoFundMe online fundraiser started Wednesday night for her family had gathered more than $52,000 in less than 24 hours.
No memorial or vigil plans have been set yet; Dublin Unified will be flying its flags at half staff in her honor.
This wasn’t the first tragedy to hit Kuo’s family. She wrote on Facebook of her stepmother’s death in a car crash in 2015. Her stepmother, and three other women who belonged to a South Bay Bible study group, were killed in the Sierra Nevada during a trip.