New Associate Superintendent of Administrative Services - Crystal Leach
Ms. Crystal Leach is an experienced financial executive who brings experience, talent and skill in business and finance to her new role as Associate Superintendent, Administrative Services. Throughout her career, Ms. Leach has demonstrated an ability to communicate complex information in clear, consumable terms, while building strong relationships with colleagues, parents, community members and business partners. Maximizing an organization’s financial resources so that they can accomplish their goals requires building trust, honesty, offering sound advice, and persuading and encouraging action when tough decisions need to be made.
In addition to her strong communication and interpersonal skills, Leach is known by peers and colleagues as a visionary and a driver of change who has ensured that her current and former employers move forward and achieve their strategic goals. At Cabrillo Unified School District, her clear and effective communication about the district’s financial needs and strong financial management led to the community approving two construction bonds and two parcel tax measures. She also played a vital role in managing construction projects, negotiating contracts, and collaborating with the City of Half Moon Bay, and partners, on joint venture projects and site acquisitions.
As a member of the Superintendent’s Senior Cabinet, Leach worked in depth with colleagues on developing effective academic programs, and leveraging resources to ensure that student needs were met with rich academic programming. Her colleagues laud her creative, out-of-the-box thinking when considering how to focus on students and support learning even during lean financial times.
Throughout her career, Leach has developed extensive experience managing teams and supervising employees. Among her colleagues she is known for her warmth, rapport, and ability to form strong relationships with stakeholders, and her skills in bringing people together around common goals.
Leach is able to recognize emerging trends and challenges, and adjust organizational strategies to minimize disruption to the organization. She has emerged as a local leader in advocating for legislation to increase school funding, working with State Senator Jerry Hill’s office on a bill to address the funding challenges of local school districts. Her regional leadership also includes serving on a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) advisory committee with the San Mateo County Office of Education.
Ms. Leach has both a Bachelor’s in Business Management and a Masters’ in Business Administration.
