Superintendent Dr. Denise Saddler has appointed Lynette McElhaney as Chief of Staff for the Office of the Superintendent at Oakland Unified School District, with her tenure beginning December 18, 2025. The appointment comes as the district works to implement fiscal recovery measures aimed at addressing a projected $100 million structural deficit.
McElhaney has more than two decades of executive leadership experience and is known for her strong ties to the Oakland community. She previously served on the Oakland City Council from 2013 to 2021, including time as Council President. During her tenure, she played a key role in achieving consecutive balanced budgets for Oakland’s $3.2 billion municipal operations and collaborated with OUSD on youth violence prevention, school attendance, and community safety initiatives.
“Dr. McElhaney’s crisis management expertise, her track record building coalitions across diverse groups, and her profound understanding of Oakland make her uniquely qualified to support the District during a critical period of transformation,” said Dr. Saddler. “Her commitment to Oakland’s children and her ability to synchronize complex organizational teams will be invaluable as we stabilize our finances, strengthen instruction, and retain local control of our schools.”
While on the City Council, McElhaney led efforts to create Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention—a model that prioritizes non-policing public health interventions against violence. The strategic planning process she facilitated resulted in a measure passing with 70% voter approval despite initial expectations it would fail.
In addition to public service roles, McElhaney is Managing Principal at a human development consultancy where she advises executives through organizational changes and crises; she reports a client satisfaction rate of 98%.
As Chief of Staff, McElhaney will coordinate the Superintendent’s Leadership Team, oversee special projects and strategic initiatives, act as an executive liaison with the Board of Education, lead strategic planning processes, and represent Dr. Saddler at events involving government agencies and community organizations.
McElhaney holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley and an honorary PhD in Humane Letters from Mills College. She also serves as Treasurer and Past President of Black Elected Officials of California.
