Meet the Team
Gary Leach
Operations Director
Kristen Burtch
Program Coordinator
Operations Director
Program Coordinator
Michael McCorriston currently serves as a council member for the City of Dublin. He was first elected to the Dublin City Council in November 2020, and served as Vice Mayor in 2021, and as Mayor in 2024.
McCorriston’s top priority is maintaining a high quality of life for Dublin residents by focusing on public safety, supporting a vibrant business community, making strategic investments in city infrastructure, advocating for affordable workforce housing, and creating services for seniors.
Mr. McCorriston has served or currently serves on many local boards and commissions, including:
In his professional life, Mr. McCorriston spent four decades in treasury and banking, managing financial resources of large multinational companies. He received his MBA from the University of San Diego and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance from San Jose State University. He and his wife, Sylvia have lived in Dublin for more than 30 years and have two daughters who attended Dublin schools.
In addition to his service on the Dublin City Council, Mr. McCorriston’s commitment to the community has included service as a member of the Dublin Rotary.
(925) 587-5613
kristen@dpie.org
Kristen joined DPIE in early 2025, bringing a wealth of experience in community involvement and a passion for education. She previously served as the Communications Director on the PFC Board, where she helped elevate the school’s outreach efforts and fostered strong connections between parents, staff, and the community. Kristen also owned a successful photography business in the past, where she captured a variety of events and milestones for families.
Kristen’s career at Dublin Elementary allowed her to engage with students and staff, supporting the school’s mission to create a positive and dynamic learning environment.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Kristen enjoys spending quality time with her husband and daughter, whether it’s going for walks in Dublin or traveling to new destinations. She finds joy in exploring new places and making lasting memories with her family.
With a deep commitment to enriching the lives of children, Kristen is excited to continue making a meaningful impact at DPIE.
Neha joined DPIE in June 2025, bringing a wealth of expertise in administration, accounts, operations, and business development across multiple industries, including BPO, service and entertainment, and real estate. With a master’s degree in marketing and over seven years of professional experience.
Before joining DPIE, Neha took a meaningful break from the workforce to focus on raising their child, balancing the demands of parenting while staying engaged in personal and professional development. Married for ten years, She deeply values family and community-building. When not working, She enjoys exploring new places, experimenting with creative projects, and fostering connections that enrich both personal and professional life.
“As someone who thrives in fast-paced environments and values strong relationships, I’m passionate about bringing efficiency, structure, and innovative solutions to DPIE. I’m excited to contribute and help create meaningful experiences that make an impact.”
(925) 587-5614
angela@dpie.org
Angela joined the DPIE team in December 2017, bringing with her a wealth of experience from a marketing career in finance and asset management in London and Sydney, Australia. Before joining DPIE, she took time to move to the United States with her husband and focus on raising their two children. On weekends, you’ll often find Angela exploring Oakland Zoo, camping, hiking, or experimenting with new recipes for her family!
“As a former room parent and active member of the PFC for several years, I’m passionate about education and shaping young students into well-rounded individuals. As Program Director here at DPIE, I’m dedicated to introducing diverse enrichment programs into classrooms, helping students explore new opportunities and broaden their horizons.”
Gary joined DPIE in 2024 after a career in finance and accounting and business development and is now thriving in his role as a non-profit leader. But above all else, Gary is a family man, married for over 45 years to his wife LaDonna and blessed with a son and daughter, each married with their own son and daughter. “DPIE came along in my career at just the right time and leverages my skills, strengths and passion for educating children.” Gary loves spending weekends watching his grandkids play sports and enjoying restaurants, wine tasting and vacations with LaDonna.
Joe Dunham is Sr VP Premier Relationship Manager in Personal and Business Banking at BMO Bank in Walnut Creek and Lafeyette. His career in Finance has spanned over 25 years on Wall Street in Capital Market firms such as Paine Webber Securities, Bank of America Securities, UBS Securities and Bank of New York/Mellon to name a few. During that time his focus was in mortgage-backed securities. While in California, he has worked almost entirely in residential and commercial lending with banks and credit unions and has been with City National for the last two years in retail banking. His specialty has been predominantly in Sales, Business Development, relationship building as well as public speaking. He is currently on the board of directors for the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and recently joined the board of directors for Dublin Partners in Education. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a degree in dramatic arts and music. He is an actor, recording engineer and songwriter. He lives in Oakland with his wife Marika who has been in academia for over 25 years.
Bill is the senior partner of Timpson Garcia, LLP, CPAs and Consultants and is the primary partner in charge of the firm’s management. He is also responsible for the quality control function of the firm’s accounting and audit practice and the firm’s internal IT requirements. He has extensive experience in all phases of accounting, from the preparation of tax returns to performance of audit, review and compilation services. His experience includes servicing clients in the areas of: self-storage; health insurance and health care organizations; manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors; trade associations; attorneys and professional corporations; real estate; contractors; transportation; continuing care retirement communities; not-for-profit health and welfare organizations, including Single Audit applications.
A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley (1976), Bill joined the firm in 1976, received his CPA certificate in May, 1980 and was made a partner in October, 1985. Bill holds memberships in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA). He is past member of the CalCPA Peer Review Committee and a past chairperson of the CalCPA East Bay Chapter Credit Grantors Committee and California Group of Accounting Firm’s Information Technology Committee.
Bill has been a Dublin resident since 1981. He is a current member and past president of the Rotary Club of Dublin and the treasurer of the Dublin Partners in Education
Michele has been our Board Secretary since 2019 and recently retired from Stanford Health Care as a Project Coordinator. Previously, she worked for Dublin Unified as an Admin and a Health Clerk while getting her Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration. She also loved working for DPIE as a Program Manager running the Career Academy from 2007-2010.
Michele is passionate about education and brings her positive energy and enthusiasm to this board.
Michele has been married for 32 years and has 3 children who all went through the Dublin schools
Rachna Handa is Head of Hardware Products at GM Energy, where she helped lead the launch of GM Energy’s Vehicle to Home (V2H) HW solution, in addition to supporting the development of GM Energy’s other home charging solutions. Prior to this role, Rachna led the development of EV first microgrids to support GM’s fleet customers as they transition to electric vehicles. Over her career, Rachna has had key roles at Pacific Gas and Electric, OSIsoft, EPRI and the U.S. Department of Energy where she led the deployment of several programs funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (2009). She has an MBA from Wharton with a focus on Finance and Accounting and earned a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.
Tara Bhuthimethee believes in long-term planning for the benefit of both current and future generations. As a landscape architect and park planner with over two decades of experience creating community through consensus building, designing public spaces, creating master plans, and improving park equity, Tara takes the centurieslong view when planning parkland and applies that lens to DPIE by advocating for long-term planning for current and future educational opportunities. Tara served on the City of Dublin’s Planning Commission for eight years, with two years as the Commission Chair, and she currently serves as the Board Secretary of the City of Fremont’s Art Review Board. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture and a Bachelor of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Business from San Francisco State’s Executive MBA Program.
Rameet Kohli is currently Co-Founder/President & COO of Metrical, Inc. and his career has spanned both the private and public sectors. In the private sector, Rameet has worked for both non- and for-profit entities in the areas of business development, strategy consulting, project management and government relations. Organizations included GE, Chevron, IBM, FHI 360 and BSR, along with several venture backed technology startups. Rameet’s work in the public sector has focused on public policy and public-private sector alliance building. This occurred while he was at the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), respectively. Rameet also served on the Planning Commission for the City of Dublin, CA (Chair of the Commission in 2016) and was an appointee to the City of Dublin, CA’s Community Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Rameet currently sits on the Board of Directors of the NGO Dublin Partners In Education (DPIE). Rameet holds an MBA from the University of Rochester’s William E. Simon Graduate School of Business and a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of California at Davis.
Sobia Qureshi is a dedicated advocate for education, passionately empowering students and fostering their academic success. With a background in Science and experience in the pharmaceutical industry, she brings a unique perspective to her educational roles. For the past seven years, Sobia has been a vital part of Dublin Partners in Education (DPIE), where she currently serves as President, driving the mission to enhance the educational experiences of students in the Dublin Unified School District. Her commitment extends beyond DPIE, as she actively participates in various educational initiatives, served on the School Site Council (SSC) at Kolb Elementary, Amador Elementary and still currently serving Fallon Middle School and Dublin High School. As Chair of the Citizen Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC), she has ensured transparency and accountability in the use of bond funds for improving school facilities and infrastructure. Additionally, she is involved in the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), the School District Budget Committee, and the Site Equity Team (SET), advocating for equitable access to resources and opportunities for all students. Sobia has led efforts to pass two bond measures, demonstrating her commitment to investing in Dublin’s schools.
Outside her professional work, she is a wife and mother of four children, all of whom have attended schools in the Dublin Unified School District. Currently working at Fallon Middle School in the student accounts department, she continues to support the educational needs of students and families. Her 11 years of residency in Dublin, CA,coupled with her unwavering dedication to the school district, exemplify her deeprooted commitment to the community. Sobia’s passion for education and her desire to make a positive impact on students’ lives drive her advocacy efforts, making her a driving force for positive change for Dublin students.