Morgan Hill woman to receive Leadership Excellence Award Sept. 18

Cricket Rubino, center, surrounded by members and alumni of the Emerald Regime Marching Band and Color Guard, who offered their support and love as she battled cancer in 2020.

By Staff Report

Cricket Rubino

Community supporter and volunteer extraordinaire Cricket Rubino will be honored with the 2020-2021 Leadership Excellence Award, the Leadership Morgan Hill nonprofit organization announced.

The award recognizes the vision and leadership that advance the spirit of community and charity; reflect courage and insight; and inspire others to lead in a like manner. Rubino will receive her medal at a Sept. 18 gala tribute dinner at the Guglielmo Winery.

“As a previous Leadership Morgan Hill administrator, board member and president, Cricket reflects the values of our organization and supports the educational organization’s mission,” said LMH Board President Sandra McNeal.

In keeping with her love of musical theater, the tribute to Rubino will have a Broadway theme. Community leaders, supporters of LMH, relatives and friends of the honoree will attend this community celebration to honor Cricket and to benefit LMH. Dinner and the award program will be followed by music and dancing. In keeping with the setting, dress for the event is casual, upscale summer fun.

As a “community treasure,” Rubino and husband, Mike Rubino, oversaw the band program at Live Oak High School for more than 25 years, winning many national awards and traveling the world, McNeal said. She used her banking background to become a valued substitute administrator for the Morgan Hill Unified School District. She then used that experience to open a home-based business writing effective resumes.

While raising two children, Brandi and Mikey, and maintaining their home, Rubino has taken leadership roles as a Chamber of Commerce volunteer, as a board member and the president of the YMCA and of LMH, and a dedicated supporter of the Senior Center, said LMH board member Cinda Meister, who leads the event committee.

“As she did to financially support the Live Oak band program in the 1970s, Cricket started a weekly bingo game to support Senior Center programs,” she said. “She formed a non-profit ‘Friends’ support organization and now chairs the board.”

The honorary committee for the event is overseen by Jennifer Tate. Awardees are selected by a panel of community leaders that includes former Leadership Excellence Award recipients. Funds raised will benefit the non-profit LMH educational organization, now in its 24th year of building community leadership.

The annual LMH program provides insight, tools and training that enables and inspires leaders in all walks of life to give back to the community through service.

LMH graduates are found in leadership positions throughout the community in government, education, business and nonprofit organizations.

For ticket and sponsorship information, visit  www.leadershipmorganhill.