Sacramento City College

	Tani Cantil-Sakauye Image courtesy Sacramento City College

Tani Cantil-Sakauye, born in 1959, grew up in the Land Park area of Sacramento. Her parents, a Filipina mother and Filipino/Portuguese father, were farm workers who knew the value of hard work, saving, and education.

Cantil-Sakauye was aware of the challenges faced by her parents and by all minorities, but she also felt encouraged by their successes. By the time she finished her degree in speech and debate at Sacramento City College (SCC) in 1978, she had a solid foundation for her future.

Cantil-Sakauye won state and national awards for her skills in debate and public speaking while in college. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UC Davis, where she graduated with honors.

In 1984, Cantil-Sakauye earned her Juris Doctorate degree and became a deputy district attorney for the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office. She was appointed to the Sacramento Municipal Court in 1990, becoming the youngest judge to sit on the bench. 

In 2005, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger nominated her to the Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, and she was unanimously confirmed by the Commission on Judicial Appointments.

“The educational independence, responsibility and accountability I learned served me well at UC Davis, law school and even now on the Court of Appeal," says Cantil-Sakauye. "SCC is the place where you can start to make your dreams come true.”

Cantil-Sakauye is a member of the Asian Bar Association, the California Bar Association, and the Filipino Bar Association. She has received numerous awards over the years, including the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s Trailblazer Award.

She and her husband, Mark Sakauye, have two daughters, Hana and Clare.