Well-Respected Dublin School Volunteer Arrested on Embezzlement Charges

By Autumn Johnson and Kari Hulac

Jaylene Leslie, a former board member for Dublin Partnerships in Education and former President of the Dougherty Elementary Parent Faculty Club, was arrested Wednesday by Dublin Police on charges of embezzlement and grand theft.

According to a press release issued by the city, investigators learned through an eight-month investigation that Leslie had embezzled more than $38,000 from the Parent Faculty Club. Money was first noticed to be missing in November of 2012.

Leslie, a special event coordinator at Dougherty Elementary School for six years, was honored for her volunteer work by the Dublin School Board in May 2011, just two months before the alleged embezzlement began.

In a Patch YouTube video celebrating the honorees, who were recognized for "notable achievement and contributions," Superintendent Stephen Hanke, reading quotes from nomination forms submitted by the leadership at the school site, said of Leslie: "She is always on top of the fundraising and takes on jobs that no one else will volunteer for...as Leslie understands how schools and school budgets work, she's able to make decisions that benefit all students." (Fast forward to about the 23 minute mark to view the segment.)

As she stood beside him smiling, Hanke added: "You will never find a more consistent and trustworthy volunteer with a strong work ethic."

According to her LinkedIn profile, Leslie is an "accomplished sales and event manager with over 10 years’ experience" who "managed and secured multi-million dollar city and county waste contracts." 

Her resume states that she's currently a sales consultant for Zuberance, Inc. in San Carlos and an Assembly District 15 delegate for the state Democratic Party.

She previously worked for Alameda County Waste Management Inc., where she says she worked with city officials to manage waste contracts and secured multi-million dollar contracts.