CESO Human Resources

Ryan brings over 22 years of HR and executive leadership experience to CESO, most recently serving as Director of Human Resources and Organizational Development for Spring Lake Park Schools. At CESO, Ryan consults with school districts of all sizes on the structures and protocols that can help them care for their employees in the best way possible.

Stephanie Leonard Crosby has been an advocate for educational equity for over 30 years. She retired from Robbinsdale Area Schools in 2020 as executive director of Human Resources where she served the students, families and staff in the community for 25 years. Stephanie was hired as the first African American school social worker in the district and then served as the first director of diversity and inclusion. During her 25-year tenure in Robbinsdale Area Schools, Stephanie led the development of strategies for inclusion, diversity, and employee engagement. She was responsible for ensuring positive learning environments for students and developing an integrated approach to building a diverse workforce.

Ms. Crosby holds a Bachelor of Sociology from Tuskegee (Institute) University; Master of Arts in Education, M.ED., School Guidance and Counseling from Chicago State University and a Master of Social Work, MSW., from Augsburg University. She also holds a Certificate in Human Resources from the University of Minnesota. Stephanie and her husband, Henry have two adult children and two grandsons.

Christa comes to us with over 10 years of experience as a human resources professional, most recently being the backbone for all human resources in Spring Lake Park Schools. Christa is passionate about putting care for people at the heart of HR functions, and about supporting organization decisions using data analytics to shed light on key questions.

Daniel Williams transitioned to our team in 2022 as an Employee Experience Specialist, focusing on external CESO HR clients and CESO company culture. Daniel is an avid learner with experience in higher education, banking, and finance — but people are his passion.

Daniel is a 2019 graduate from North Central University (MN) and he initially joined CESO in 2019 as a finance specialist.

Rachel Babcock has been devoted to HR — both in practice and continuous learning — for the past decade with experience supporting both education and healthcare operations. She most recently was a consultant for school districts and hospitals and is passionate about providing innovative solutions for her clients. In her role at CESO, Rachel loves to help school districts succeed by strengthening their HR processes.

Sam Hasbrouck joined CESO in 2022 as Employee Experience Intern. Sam is a rising senior at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities where she is exploring her passion for strong employee/employer relationships in the Carlson School of Management (Human Resources and Industrial Relations double major). At CESO, she’s excited to enhance her strategic management skills and help employees experience a greater sense of purpose and belonging within the organization.

Laura Eiden joins the CESO HR team with the perspective of an experienced educator and leader of professional learning, formerly working as an innovation coach and supervisor for student teachers. Through deep listening and thoughtful questioning, Laura develops authentic relationships with clients in order to help them think differently about systems and practices that impact the human experience of each person within the organization.

Since 1996, Elizabeth Linares, a bilingual principal has led the successful development of three metro Spanish immersion schools, working with diverse staff and student populations in St. Louis Park, MN, Eden Prairie, MN, and Spring Lake Park, MN. Elizabeth has a passion for working with school leaders to build collaborative school communities that attract and retain the most inspired educators, develop teacher leaders, improve academic achievement for students, and maximize home/school partnerships.

During her 35-year career Elizabeth has served as a coach for intern teachers and principals, including multiple international candidates. Fueled by her belief that there is inherent greatness in every person she works with, her coaching combines high expectations, self-care, and humor as key levers for success.