ZM
Zakir McKenzie Parpia
California School-Age Consortium (CalSAC)
Director of Programs
Zakir McKenzie Parpia (Zak) found his way to youth development via youth athletics. He is passionate about supporting and developing high quality youth development professionals and programs. As the Director of Programs at CalSAC, Zak works on Leadership programming, the CalSAC Trainer Network, curriculum development, and statewide equity initiatives. Zak’s lived experience as a man of trans experience and a person of color informs how he moves in the world and grounds his commitment to practicing compassionate, intersectional youth and leadership development and anti-oppression efforts. Outside of work, you can find him biking, listening to podcasts while working on puzzles, cooking or reading a good book. He recently moved to Portland, Oregon with his wife and they are expecting their first child in November, 2020. He is already a proud father to Owl (cat) and Athena (mutt).