A Message from Josh Leonard, EBAC’s New Executive Director
I am thrilled to be joining East Bay Agency for Children as its new Executive Director. Having spent
the past 21 years working at Child Welfare and Mental Health agencies providing services to vulnerable
children and families, I understand well the larger context within which EBAC operates and am highly
aligned with the organization’s mission. Though I am still getting to know the organization, it is already
quite clear to me that EBAC is a special place doing impactful work on a large scale.
Motivated by a sense of social justice and a desire to be a
contributor to positive social change, I began my career while still in
college at the University of California at Santa Cruz working at a
Group Home for teenage juvenile offenders. At 21 years of age, after
one day of training, I assumed the responsibility of primary caretaker
for six highly troubled boys, charged with facilitating their transition
from incarceration to freedom. The experiences at this job were
incredibly formative. To this day, I hold from it: 1) Understanding of
the incredible resiliency and complexity of children and youth that
have experienced significant trauma; 2) Humility about how hard this
work is and profound respect for all those who fully commit
themselves to it; 3) Faith in the ability of myself and others to make
significant difference, no matter what our job title; and, 4) Belief that
there is no reason to expect different outcomes for the most needy
amongst us without sufficient investment of expertise and resources
organized around reasonable and measurable objectives.
EBAC has a 60 year history of innovative and effective programming, premised on the conviction that
all children and families have the capacity and desire to live productive and meaningful lives and can
build on their intrinsic strengths given the proper support. I bring the passion that initially drew me to
the work along with the skills and knowledge I have gained through my experience with direct service,
program development and organizational leadership as I endeavor to further EBAC’s rich tradition.
I am highly appreciative of the warm reception that I have received thus far. I very much look
forward to partnering with EBAC’s Board of Directors, staff, community partners, funders, and donors. I
invite you to contact me at [email protected] or 510-268-3770 ext. 110 once I begin my work at
EBAC on December 4, 2013. Together we can continue building brighter futures and stronger
communities.
Sincerely,
Josh Leonard
Executive Director