Roy I. Sano was born in 1931 to immigrant parents from Japan. He completed his undergraduate studies at UCLA, and his basic theological training at Union Theological Seminary, 1957, in New York City. After receiving a masters degree from the Graduate Theological Union in 1968, Roy completed his Ph. D. at Claremont Graduate University, 1972, Claremont, California. He became a chaplain and taught at Mills College, Oakland, California, 1969 1975. He was Professor of Theology at Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, California, when he was elected a Bishop in The United Methodist Church in 1984. Dr. Sano is married to Kathleen Thomas Sano and lives in Oakland, California.