San Diego’s 5-year-old parks foundation has hired a former collegiate athlete with a diverse background in fundraising and communications to become its first chief executive.
Ramona resident Leona Sublett, who played volleyball in college and now coaches volleyball at Ramona High, will focus on strategic planning and fundraising to help the foundation expand.
She will also help the foundation achieve its primary mission of boosting social equity by closing the stark gap in quality between parks in the northern and southern parts of the city.
“I look forward to continuing our efforts to bridge the gap in park quality across the city and advocating for impactful policy changes that boost the number and quality of parks in all urban areas,” Sublett said. “The foundation’s mission to create more equity in our parks is more urgent than ever as they serve as essential havens that are crucial for mental health and community well-being.”
Sublett has nonprofit and corporate experience and has handled investor relations, communications and marketing for San Diego-based nonprofits, technology companies, national accounting firms, professional sports organizations and startups.
Leona Sublett, the incoming chief executive of the San Diego Parks Foundation.
(The Rosie Network)
She handled event management and fundraising at the American Red Cross and March of Dimes. For the past decade, Sublett has led a nonprofit called the Rosie Network that helps military families with business resources and capital.
San Diego was one of the last major cities in the nation to get a parks foundation to help fund upgrades and activities. The foundation has avoided parks in wealthy areas so it can focus on the low-income areas city officials deem communities of concern.
The foundation was previously led by executive directors who each served short stints. Sublett will be its first chief executive, said foundation board Michel Anderson.
“Leona’s dedication to equity will be at the core of our efforts to address structural inequalities in park accessibility,” he said.
Martha Phillips, the foundation’s treasurer, said Sublett’s experience makes her ideal to help the foundation achieve its goals.
“We’re so pleased to have Leona further our grassroots efforts, commitment to equitable park development and strategic initiatives to make San Diego a place where every neighborhood thrives through accessible and revitalized park spaces,” Phillips said.
Key projects for the foundation have included installing free Wi-Fi at all 60 city recreation centers, planting 327 trees in 11 parks, creating a new basketball court in Southcrest and starting the Parks After Dark neighborhood activity series in low-income areas.
The foundation is also helping fund a $500,000 community garden in Linda Vista Community Park. Sublett will be introduced during a groundbreaking ceremony for the garden Saturday night.
Sublett, who has lived in Ramona since 1995, is a 1989 graduate of the University of the Pacific in Stockton. She helped the school’s volleyball team win two national championships.
