Karen A. Cerwin, WestEd K-12 Alliance Regional Director, supports local (San Bernardino/Riverside counties), statewide, and national efforts to provide high-quality science and mathematics for all students.

Cerwin helps develop teacher leadership skills through modeling, discussions, and opportunities for practice. Previously, she designed and implemented professional development for multiple local grants in the Coachella Valley including three California Math and Science Partnerships (CAMSP) and one California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC). Current statewide efforts include technical support for the FOSS Leadership Academy.

She has provided technical assistance to national efforts such as Using Data Project (UDP), Curriculum Topic Study (CTS), BSCS/WestEd National Academy for Curriculum Leadership (NACL), the National Academy for Science and Mathematics Education Leadership (NASMEL), and the Center for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning (CAESL).

Cerwin is a frequent speaker at state and national conferences. She is part of a team that authored Assessment-Centered Teaching: A Reflective Practice (2008) and a chapter in Professional Learning Communities for Science Teaching: Lessons from Research and Practice (2009).

Her teaching experience includes 24 years in elementary and middle school science. She has also taught pre-service.

She received a BS in education from Minnesota State University, Bemidji, and an MA in language development from California State University, Long Beach.