The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) is navigating through a leadership transition after General Manager Sabrina Landreth tendered her resignation on November 6, a move that came without public explanation. Following this development, a special board meeting was held on Saturday, November 8, where Deputy General Manager Max Korten was unanimously voted in as Acting General Manager.
According to the EBRPD's official announcement, Landreth, who became the General Manager and the first woman to hold the post in March 2021, made significant contributions to the agency. She worked to improve the parks and spearheaded key acquisitions, including Pt. Molate in Richmond, part of her efforts to ensure access and a welcoming environment to community members. During her tenure, the district modernized and the Park District modernized and strengthened its leadership infrastructure.
However, details surrounding Landreth's departure from the EBRPD are limited. The Pleasanton Weekly reported her resignation followed a closed-session performance evaluation during which there was pushback on multiple proposals from the general manager during the board's regular meeting. Despite this, EBRPD has praised Landreth's tenure, with Board President John Mercurio expressing gratitude for her "numerous substantial contributions to the operations of the Park District."
For now, Korten steps into the acting role with experience from a tenure beginning in October 2024 and a past at Marin County Parks, as well as associations with the Conservation Corps North Bay, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service. He now oversees an expansive park system with 73 parks and numerous amenities including a police and fire department.
