Economic Development

Leonard Sledge - Assistant Director, Economic Development

Leonard Sledge joined the College of William and Mary (W&M) in January of 2007 as the Assistant Director of Economic Development. The office facilitates public-private-university partnerships that strengthen the university and contribute to local, regional and state economic development. The office currently coordinates several projects focused on Greater Williamsburg, the Chesapeake Bay, sensors research in Hampton Roads, and the development of a World Class Maritime Center in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Mr. Sledge will play a lead role in managing projects and identifying grant opportunities. His responsibilities also include working with faculty and local companies in the areas of manufacturing and workforce development. He will also coordinate William and Mary’s participation in the development of the Discovery Center, a collaborative program with Thomas Nelson Community College. Thomas Nelson’s regional workforce director and two high-tech classrooms will be located with W&M’s Technology and Business Center in a new building, Discovery II, in New Town, just west of the W&M campus. The Center is expected to open at the new location in the fall of 2007.

Before coming to W&M, Mr. Sledge was the Director of the Institutes of Excellence in the Workforce Development Services area of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). In this role, Mr. Sledge was responsible for aligning workforce development and economic development initiatives. He was also responsible for aiding in the development of community college course and program offerings to meet the current and emerging workforce needs in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Prior to joining the VCCS, Mr. Sledge worked with the Maricopa Community College District (MCCD) in Greater Phoenix, Arizona. Mr. Sledge’s first assignment at Maricopa was as the Manager of Education and Training Services with the Maricopa Advanced Technology Education Center (MATEC – a National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Center established to develop technician level education and training programs for the semiconductor industry). After MATEC, Mr. Sledge joined the Center for Workforce Development team at Maricopa, where he assisted in planning and implementing workforce and economic development initiatives for Greater Phoenix.

Before assuming his responsibilities at Maricopa, Mr. Sledge managed front-line manufacturing operations for several computer chip manufacturers. In those positions he played an integral role in hiring and training manufacturing technicians domestically and internationally.

Mr. Sledge holds a Bachelor of Science degree in General Science from Morehouse College, a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix. He and his wife Tiffanye have three children (Amariah, Solomon, and Simeon).