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The East Bay Regional Park District has started the hunt for a permanent general manager following an unsuccessful attempt to appoint an interim leader to succeed Sabrina Landreth.
Posting the job listing earlier this month, the park district’s Board of Directors was initially poised to consider welcoming retired general manager Robert Doyle back to the role from Jan. 14 to Feb. 6, coinciding with Landreth’s formal separation from the district.
It remains unclear why the board voted unanimously to backtrack from considering his appointment during the January meeting, as the board did not discuss the decision in open session. EBRPD has continued to operate under acting general manager Max Korten since.
Questions also remain regarding the circumstances surrounding Landreth’s departure, which saw her step away abruptly in November with a resignation date of Feb. 6. She filed a tort claim against the district last month with allegations such as gender-based discrimination, harassment and retaliatory conduct by board directors.
Documents recently secured by the Pleasanton Weekly via public records request have begun to shine light on the heated internal conversations that occurred during the months leading up to Landreth’s resignation.
“Culture change with the Board continues to be a huge lift,” Landreth wrote in one email. “I have stopped the preferential hiring of the past, but some of these Directors want to continue the same bad practices and force me to appoint an internal candidate that does not meet the MQ’s.”
Appearing within over 1,000 pages of records were email conversations between Landreth and the elected directors regarding the hiring of a board clerk.Â
The subject rose to public attention during the board’s Oct. 21 meeting wherein Landreth sought the board’s approval to hire Kelly Clancy for the position. The item was on the board’s consent calendar, typically composed of topics considered routine and passed with a single motion.
Clancy, a former San Leandro city clerk, had accepted the offer and was scheduled to begin the role at EBRPD on Nov. 3.
Prior to the meeting, the selection process involved third-party recruitment firm Ralph Andersen & Associates. It kicked off the process with a job announcement in July 2025 and screened applicants for minimum qualifications, according to a presentation by EBRPD deputy general manager Allyson Cook. The firm conducted interviews and recommended finalists for further consideration out of 33 applicants, according to a staff report prepared for the Oct. 21 meeting by Landreth and Allison Brooks, assistant general manager of external affairs.
Landreth and Brooks then conducted interviews of the two finalists, the staff report states.
“Following these interviews, the General Manager selected Kelly B. Clancy as the most qualified and best fit for the organization,” the staff report states.
During a presentation before the board Oct. 21, Cook explained the importance of utilizing a third-party recruitment firm for critical positions to “preserve the integrity of the recruitment process”.
Cook also acknowledged the board’s desire to be included at the front end of recruitment, something she said would be implemented in the future.
Multiple board members expressed discontent with the process, including Director Dennis Waespi and Board President John Mercurio.
The Board Executive Committee should have been involved to refer one or more candidates to the board, per the board operating guidelines, Waespi said. “I don’t have any problem with our candidate,” he said. “It’s just the process.”
The clerk is an appointee of the general manager, Cook reiterated.
Mercurio expressed a desire for all board members to meet Clancy, a sentiment Director Colin Coffey echoed.
“We offered that — to have her meet with each of you. It’s even in writing and that was declined… so this is 100% on the board,” Landreth replied. “For this now to happen on the spot is really disconcerting. Not just for us, but frankly for the entire workforce.”
Mercurio later acknowledged his receipt of a proposed meeting date of Oct. 16.
“I apologize for letting that slip through, but I didn’t follow up on that,” he said.
The board has not been bypassed in the hiring process because Mercurio gave his approval of Clancy, according to Jessica Romeo, human resources assistant general manager.Â
However, Mercurio proposed tabling the decision until the board’s Nov. 4 meeting.
“Whether we approve her today or we approve her on the fourth, it’s not going to matter in terms of the fact that we approve her,” Director Elizabeth Echols said. “It’s a foregone conclusion, and she’s an excellent candidate.”
Ultimately, the decision was tabled for the next meeting via 5-2, with Echols and Director Luana España casting dissenting votes.Â
About one month prior to the meeting, Landreth addressed the board via email Sept. 22 with a status update on the recruitment of a board clerk amid “several questions and side conversations”.
During her four years as general manager, Landreth said, she has requested from human resources that the recruitment of most executive-level and critical positions are handled by a third-party recruiter.
The method ensures nationwide outreach and “fairness and equity to avoid the appearance of favoritism”, Landreth wrote.
“As you know, this is very different from how these positions were often filled before my time, when people were just direct-appointed without any legitimate process,” she added.
EBRPD does not typically disclose the identity of internal candidates seeking a promotion, Landreth wrote. But she was aware of “conversations between the Board and the Clerk’s team” about an internal candidate, she wrote.
“As we have cautioned, it is very important that such discussions do not occur during an open recruitment to ensure we protect the integrity and confidentiality of the recruitment,” she explained.
The internal applicant was screened out for failing to meet the position’s minimum qualifications, Landreth added.
“The Park District does not have discretion as to whether to move a candidate forward if they are not minimally qualified and they must be rejected as was done with several other external candidates,” she added.
About an hour later, Mercurio acknowledged Landreth’s email.
“I can see the broad benefits of a third party hiring process. I am very anxious, as is, I’m sure, the rest of the board, to learn of the candidate that has been selected,” he wrote.
The following week, Landreth emailed Mercurio Sept. 30 to report on conversations allegedly held with Coffey.
Some board members support the direct appointment of an individual for whom there is “strong loyalty and fondness”, Landreth wrote. While the individual’s name is redacted from the Sept. 30 email, Landreth identified them as being the same subject of her Sept. 22 correspondence.
Landreth also recounted Coffey’s warning that there was a “strong possibility” the board would not approve the preferred candidate at the Oct. 21 board meeting.
“I do not do direct appointments, especially for someone that does not meet the minimum qualifications, as that is a thing of the past here, but if the Board wants to vote as a body to direct me to do otherwise and appoint someone who does not meet the minimum qualifications, that is within your right to do so in a public meeting,” Landreth told Mercurio.
“We have a highly qualified candidate and I sincerely hope we don’t ruin our opportunity to bring in a Clerk that I know will be in great service to you and the Board,” Landreth added.
A few hours after contacting the board president, Landreth shared the three-part email chain — her update to the board, Mercurio’s reply and her secondary contact to Mercurio — with BHI Management Consulting founder Brent Ives.
“The Boardmembers are speaking (complaining) amongst themselves instead of coming directly to me,” Landreth added. “This is a great case study for how we need to improve trust, communication and professionalism of this body.”
A couple weeks later during the board’s Nov. 4 meeting, directors voted 5-0 approving Clancy’s hiring. Olivia Sanwong and España abstained, citing a perceived issue with the selection process.
During closed session of the same meeting, Landreth was poised for her performance evaluation. There were no announcements out of closed session.
Two days later, Landreth announced her resignation.
Some of her colleagues responded to the news, expressing sadness to see her go and sharing positive experiences working with her.
“I’m so sad, disappointed, frustrated, etc. to hear it. I wish we could have supported you better, helped to educate and allay the board’s concerns offline, etc.” EBRPD design manager Clay Simmons wrote to Landreth Nov. 7. “Thank you for your public service and strong example of leadership.”
In a separate email, EBRPD facilities manager Juancho Flores said, “I’ve never work(ed) for someone like you that’s supportive and had the integrity and vision to make any agency a better place.”
Four months later, the district is starting the process to move on. According to EBRPD spokesperson Jen Vanya, the job listing for a permanent general manager was posted March 2.
The park district is offering an annual salary ranging from about $359,000 to about $473,000, depending on experience and qualifications, the listing states. The application period is set to close on the evening of March 30.
According to a four-page recruitment brochure, candidates will be invited to a screening interview.
The most qualified individuals will be invited to interview with the full board, tentatively scheduled for their May 5 board meeting during closed session.
“The Board anticipates making an appointment to the position following final interviews and completion of a comprehensive reference and background check,” the brochure states.
