Sarah Kesty

Sarah Kesty

Sarah Kesty is an executive function and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) coach, author, speaker, and host of The Executive Function Podcast. Kesty began her career in education as a classroom aide in Northern California, quickly discovering the positive impact of empowering students with executive function skills. Her educational roles saw her developing mentor and after-school enrichment programs at Oakdale K–8 School, a socioeconomically disadvantaged campus in Sacramento, California. She served as an instructional coach for teachers in Imperial Beach, California, captaining the development of inclusive learning center models to serve struggling students. Kesty is proud to have piloted social communication classes at Castle Park Middle School in Chula Vista, California, where she also began to develop executive function lessons for students in her study skills classes. For several years, Kesty presented best practices for students with autism with the California Autism Professional Training and Information Network (CAPTAIN).

Kesty is a member of Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD), and in 2013 and 2024 received the Innovative Program Award. She is an educational adviser with Red Rover and an advisory board member of the Charcot Marie Tooth Association. A four-time teacher of the year, Kesty was recognized as Classrooms of the Future Innovative Teacher of the Year in 2021 and Outstanding Special Educator of the Year in 2019.

Kesty regularly writes and presents for education groups and publications, including Psychology Today, Edutopia, and KQED public television in San Francisco. Her speaking engagements empower school teams and parents with tools to grow executive function. In 2008, Kesty created and delivered a three-day workshop on classroom management to hundreds of teachers in Belize.

Kesty graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Chico, before continuing to earn her master’s degree in special education at California State University, Sacramento.