Kathy Lester is a nationally recognized public safety executive with more than three decades of leadership experience driving organizational transformation, technology innovation, and strategic partnerships in one of California’s largest metropolitan police agencies.
Kathy retired in 2026 after a 32-year career with the Sacramento Police Department, where she served as the department’s 46th Chief of Police and became the first woman to lead the organization. Beginning her public safety career as a 911 dispatcher in 1994, she advanced through every rank and held leadership assignments across patrol operations, criminal intelligence, internal affairs, personnel, fiscal management, community engagement, and specialized services before ultimately overseeing the department’s operations as Chief.
As Chief, Kathy led the department through some of its most complex public safety challenges while championing innovation, transparency, and evidence-based policing. Under her leadership, Sacramento significantly reduced violent crime while modernizing its technology infrastructure through the expansion of real-time crime analysis, advanced analytics, digital evidence management, and integrated investigative platforms. She helped reshape how the department leveraged data to improve operational decision-making, officer safety, investigative effectiveness, and community outcomes.
Throughout her career, Kathy has been recognized as a collaborative leader who brings together government, private industry, academia, and community stakeholders to solve complex problems. She has extensive experience overseeing large organizations, managing significant public budgets, leading enterprise technology initiatives, and guiding organizational change in highly visible and politically complex environments. Before entering law enforcement, Kathy served in the United States Army after attending the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, where she trained as a Russian linguist. She later served as a military interpreter, combat medic, and range master, experiences that shaped her lifelong commitment to service, teamwork, and principled leadership.
Kathy’s leadership extends beyond Sacramento. She has served on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and held executive leadership roles with the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), including serving as Vice President. She has also contributed to national leadership development through the University of Chicago’s Policing Leadership Academy and Harvard Kennedy School’s Leadership for a Networked World program, where she has helped develop current and future public safety executives. Her board experience also includes service with the Sacramento Family Regional Justice Center and other collaborative public safety initiatives.
A lifelong learner, Kathy holds a bachelor’s degree in Government and International Relations from California State University, Sacramento, and a master’s degree in Geosciences from Mississippi State University. Her career has been defined by a commitment to innovation, ethical leadership, continuous learning, and building organizations that embrace technology while maintaining public trust. Today, Kathy continues to advance leadership development through executive consulting, teaching, and advisory work.
