As a leader

As an administrator and academic leader, Dr. Leonard brings a rigorous, data-oriented approach to resource allocation and decision-making. As Associate Dean, Dr. Leonard has focused his expertise, technical interests, and leadership skills to the create better linkages between institutional data and institutional strategy. Dr. Leonard’s leadership in these areas has led to the creation of a working group that is redesigning and implementing a new campus data warehouse. He has also developed prototypical tools and reports demonstrating how this new warehouse can be integrated into strategic planning, measurement and tracking processes.
 
Professor Leonard serves as Associate Dean for Finance and Administration for the College of Engineering. In this role, he supports the Dean by overseeing the day-to-day internal operations of the College including procurement, travel, sponsored research initiation, human resources, information systems, and facilities management. Dr. Leonard also leads special projects in the areas of strategic planning, budgeting, and institute planning and research. The College is a significant operation, comprised of over 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 4400 employees including over 400 tenured or tenure-track faculty, total annual expenditures of almost $280 million, and annual state support in excess of $80 million.
 
From 2002-2004, Professor Leonard was on leave-of-absence from Georgia Tech offering service to the Governor of the State of Georgia, ultimately serving as Executive Director (Interim) and Chief Executive Officer of the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA). As CEO, Dr. Leonard was directly responsible for all facets of Authority operations, including strategic planning, customer service, human resources, and process management. Authority staff numbered over 100 full-time and contract employees, with annual expenditures of over $20 million. In addition to providing an insiders view of a Governor’s administration, Dr. Leonard was afforded the opportunity to work closely with senior executives of the Georgia Department of Transportation, including the Commissioner, Treasurer, and Chief Engineer, giving him direct insights into the management and operation of a state agency with over 5800 employees and an annual budget of $1.6 billion.
 
Dr. Leonard has served the profession at national, state and regional levels, including leadership roles on Transportation Research Board-National Research Council committees, as President of ITS Georgia, and as a member of regional and city task forces and transportation committees.