East Bay parks: GM search
The East Bay Regional Park District opened a search for a new general manager after failed interim appointments and behind‑the‑scenes infighting preceded Sabrina Landreth’s exit — an episode local reporting says exposed weak succession planning and politicized board decision‑making reported.
The Park District issued a formal Request for Proposals for executive recruitment on Nov. 24, 2025 with proposals due Jan. 5, 2026 as it sought a national search for a new General Manager. (ebparks.org) The RFP lists EBRPD as stewarding roughly 126,809 acres with a 2025 operating budget of $317 million and more than 25 million annual visits, underscoring the scale of the role being filled. (ebparks.org) Local reporting says the selection process involved Ralph Andersen & Associates and that the search was first publicly announced in July 2025, according to a presentation by Deputy GM Allyson Cook. (pleasantonweekly.com) A planned interim appointment unraveled in January when the Board removed an agenda item to appoint Robert Doyle as interim GM, even though staff had recommended Doyle for Jan. 14–Feb. 6 at a rate of $215.42 per hour. (pleasantonweekly.com) Following Sabrina Landreth’s Nov. 6, 2025 resignation, the board appointed Deputy General Manager Max Korten as Acting General Manager on Nov. 8, 2025; Korten had been hired as Deputy effective Oct. 8, 2024. (ebparks.org) Multiple outlets report Landreth has sought legal counsel and described her departure as “constructive termination,” alleging board pressure to violate open‑meeting and personnel rules. (richmondstandard.com) Journalists reviewing newly released public records say those files — including internal emails and meeting notes — highlighted board pressure points and gaps in succession planning that preceded the transition; the reporting prompted the formal restart of the GM recruitment. (pleasantonweekly.com) Job postings for the permanent GM appeared on public‑sector outlets in March 2026 (Western City posted a listing March 3, 2026) and on government recruiting platforms with application windows extending into late March 2026. (jobs.westerncity.com)
