Resume of Erin Preston for Salt Lake County Recorder

Work Exprience

Lear & Lear Law Offices, Attorney
      Sept. 2014-Current
           § Specialize in employment, Federal and State compliance and construction issues.
           § Represent LEA’s in employment disputes including HR policy and process and specific disputed issues.
           § Advise LEA’s on current legislation and emerging legal issues related to all areas of operations, focusing specifically on procurement code, school construction, student data, discipline and Special Education compliance.
           § Represent students and their families in Special Education related disputes

Providence Hall Charter School, Superintendent
      Jan. 2011 – Aug. 2014
           § Coordinate and oversee management and implementation of the State Charter at Providence Hall Charter School. Providence is a K-12 International Baccaulareate authorized charter school serving 2150 students in a 3-campus school made up of Providence Hall Elementary, Junior High and High School.
            § Supervise all aspects necessary for successful vision including: budget, enrollment, academic framework development, hiring of staff, oversight and hiring of administration, HR matters, legal issues, parent and community public relations, fund-raising, coordination of communications and reporting with other public entities including Utah State Office of Education & State Charter Board
            § Manage a staff of over 200 full and part-time employees
            § Oversee an annual budget of over $18 million
            § Developed and maintained relationships with Legislative, Community, International Baccalaureate and USOE contacts on behalf of Providence Hall
            § Active in lobbying for legislation relevant to our school as well as broader charter and Utah educational interests
            § Coordinate and oversee the public and private bond financing of 3 separate construction projects--the largest being the first state-backed public finance of a pre-construction charter school in the state of Utah

      Special Recognitions:
            § Providence Hall named Utah Charter School of the Year - UAPCS 2012
            § Personally nominated for Utah Administrator of the Year - UAPCS 2013
            § Awarded Title 1 High Performing School Award            2009-2013
            § Awarded State Finance Award                                    2009-2012

Independent Consultant, Charter School Building Officer
      2007 – 2011
            § Created and developed a small business assisting charter schools with the construction of their facilities.
            § As the school’s representative, coordinated and monitored all aspects of facility financing, design, zoning approval, construction & completion of 11 different school projects
            § Advise new schools and start-ups on school organization and set-up of business matters
            § Organize finances and budgets for schools related to construction and bonding costs
            § Taught Procurement Code Compliance, Construction Process and Construction Finance trainings for new and existing schools on behalf of the Utah State Office of Education
            § Successfully completed construction of 9 schools in 4 years. All schools opened successfully, on-time and on-budget:
                  o Providence Hall Elementary (700 K-6 Students)
                  o Excelsior Academy (648 K-8 students).
                  o Spectrum Academy High School (450 students 6-10)
                  o Quail Run Charter School (650 K-8 students)
                  o Channing Hall Expansion Project (4 classroom/2 office addition to existing facility)
                  o Maeser Preparatory Jr. High Temporary Facility re-model (350 7-9th grade students)
                  o Maeser Preparatory Academy Permanent High School (650 7-12th grade students)
                  o Providence Hall Jr. High (750 6-9th grade students – completed as PH staff)
                  o Providence Hall Elementary Expansion (addition to PH Elementary)

Lexis-Nexis, Regional Manager, Northwest Territory
      2000 - 2006
            § Hired, managed and led a team of 12-20 law firm and law school reps across a 6-state territory
            § Managed a $6-8M region serving the largest 150 law firms and 12 law schools in the Northwest, including the top 20 Utah law firms
            § Personally negotiated over 100 contracts between Lexis and Law firms, ranging in value from $25,000 to $5 Million.

U.S Securities and Exchange Commission, S.E.C. Enforcement Attorney
      1996 – 1999
            § Investigated and prosecuted stock fraud in the state of Utah

Non-Profit and Volunteer Experience

Legislative Policy Committee Co-chair - Utah Association of Public Charter Schools, Salt Lake City, UT
      2013 - Current
            § Helped craft and lobby for legislation relevant to public education.
            § Helped to successfully lobby for the passage of bills relevant to charter schools and International Baccalaureate programs in Utah (public and charter education programs).
            § Organized other heads of schools in lobbying and legislative efforts.

Board Member -Trust Lands Legislative Task Force
      2013 - Current
            · Charter school representative on State Legislative task force designed to analyze and make recommendations to Legislature on how to increase minority involvement in educational oversight

Board of Trustees - Canyon Grove Academy, Pleasant Grove, UT
      2013 - Current
            · At the request of the Quail Run Board, stepped in to help organize turn-around of failing school. In coordination with others, our work has resulted in the school’s successful financial and academic turn-around.

Board of Trustees/Board Chair - Providence Hall Charter School, Herriman, UT
      July 2007 – Jan. 2011
            § Board of Trustees – Founding member--Served on board from 2007 through 2011.
            § Board Chair from 2008-2011.
            § Providence Hall Building Officer – Oversaw all aspects of school construction
            § Human Resources Chair – Led the recruiting search and hiring process for Administration and Faculty
            § Head of Committee to secure financing for school purchase
            § Finance Committee Member – Helped establish and manage the budget as part of Board.

Board Member - Friends of the Children’s Justice Center, Salt Lake City, UT
      2003–2008
            § Assist in the fundraising and finance distribution decisions for this 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to assisting abused and neglected children through the legal system and increasing conviction rate for child-related crimes.

BYU Law School Alumni Board
      2007-2009
            § Planned and executed the CLE Ethics Seminar for BYU Law School
            (2007 Seminar: The Ethical Pitfalls of Serving on and Representing Corporate Boards).

Education

J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
      Juris Doctorate, April 1996
      Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1992
      § Student Body Vice-President 1995-1996
      § Student Paper of the Year 1995: Miscegenation and the 14th Amendment
      § Distinguished Service Award 1996
      § Academic emphasis on Business and Corporate Law

Continuing Education

Harvard Graduate School of Education
      2012
            § Best Practices for High Performing Schools Seminar

International Baccalaureate Organization
      2009-2013
            § Diploma Program – Heads of Schools training/certification
            § Middle Years Program – Heads of School training/certification
            § Primary Years Program – Heads of School training/certification

Utah Institute on Special Education Law
      2015
            · Recent Hot Topics in Special Education Law - Julie Weatherly
            · Specific Learning Disabilities Using RTI – Jim Walsh
            · The New Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) in Online Programs – Jim Walsh

COSA – Mental Health Services and FAPE
      2016
            · Understanding the Public School Responsibility