Former East Bay Parks general manager threatens legal action against board of directors after resigning

After resigning from her position last week, former East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth is alleging that the agency’s board of directors asked her to violate “open government and personnel laws,” and said she is seeking legal representation to sue the agency.

Landreth, who was the agency’s highest-ranking employee for nearly five years, said in a statement that she is considering legal action against the agency following an employee performance review on Nov. 4, which she said led to her being “constructively terminated.”

“The board was demanding that I compromise my integrity and values. I would not do that,” Landreth wrote. “I stand by my values and my reputation as a professional administrator for the past 25 years.”

Landreth wrote that the board of directors demanded she take actions she said would have “harmed her professional and personal reputation,” which she refused to carry out, but did not specify what those actions were.

Landreth’s spokesperson, Bay Area crisis public relations manager Sam Singer, said Landreth cannot provide more details about her accusations and the circumstances preceding her resignation while she seeks legal counsel. However, Singer said the matter would likely become a lawsuit.

Landreth’s departure is a shock to the largest regional parks system in the country, as she had signed a new five-year contract extension with the East Bay Regional Park District in 2024. During her tenure, Landreth oversaw the acquisition of Point Molate in Richmond and expanded accessibility across the agency’s 126,000 acres in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.

“The board of directors is incredibly thankful for Ms. Landreth’s service and her numerous substantial contributions to the operations of the Park District,” Board President John Mercurio said in a statement.

On Saturday, the board held a closed session meeting in which they unanimously voted to appoint deputy general manager Max Korten as acting general manager of the park.

Asked about the circumstances surrounding Landreth’s departure, EBRPD Communications and Outreach Manager Kendra Strey said, “The East Bay Regional Park District has not received a legal claim and cannot comment on pending or threatened litigation.”

Landreth began working as a principal consultant to the California State Assembly in 2004. She was hired by the city of Oakland in 2007, rising to deputy city administrator. Emeryville hired Landreth as its city manager from 2013 to 2015 before she returned to Oakland to serve as city administrator. From 2015 to 2020, she helped develop Oakland’s capital improvement plan, which has spread nationwide for its data-driven, equity-focused framework.

“I am proud of my accomplishments during my EBRPD tenure,” Landreth said. “There were many projects I had started and am disappointed not to complete because my time was cut short by the Board.”