|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Public school operations professional Amy Nichols is returning to the Tri-Valley after being hired as the new assistant superintendent of business services for the Dublin Unified School District.
Nichols, who spent five years with the Pleasanton Unified School District earlier in her career, is succeeding Chris Hobbs upon his retirement from Dublin. Her first day on the job is scheduled for July 1, under a contract approved by the Board of Trustees last month.
“Every budget decision ultimately reflects a district’s priorities for students,” Nichols said in a DUSD news release. “Fiscal leadership is about building trust through transparency, creating clarity around difficult decisions, and ensuring resources are aligned to support high-quality learning environments where students and staff can thrive.”
DUSD officials lauded Nichols for her leadership experience with “school finance, facilities, technology, operations, payroll, benefits, child nutrition, and long-range fiscal planning in California public school systems” – including in her current role at the Hayward Unified School District, where she oversees a $390 million operating budget and $600 million facilities bond program.
“Strong schools require strong stewardship of public resources, especially at a time when districts across California are navigating growing financial pressures,” said Matt Campbell, DUSD’s incoming superintendent.
“Amy brings a rare combination of fiscal expertise, operational leadership, and a student-centered mindset that will help ensure Dublin Unified continues to make thoughtful decisions that protect opportunities for students while maintaining long-term financial stability,” he added.
Before becoming assistant superintendent of business services in Hayward, Nichols held leadership positions in Pleasanton Unified, Burlingame School District, Roseland Public Schools (Santa Rosa) and Acalanes Union High School District (Lafayette).
In Pleasanton, she was director of technology from 2016 to 2019 and then senior director of procurement and technology from 2019 to 2021. Nichols also made a headline in 2023 when she was named as a finalist for associate vice chancellor/chief financial officer in the Contra Costa Community College District – a job she ultimately didn’t get.
Nichols holds a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and separate master’s degrees from University of Wisconsin at Platteville and Sacramento State University. She is certified through the California Association of School Business Officials.
