Kirk Newman Art School

Leslie currently leads one of the largest community-based visual arts schools in the country; annually presenting 500 arts classes in four semesters and welcoming 3,400 student enrollments. She is responsible for curriculum development, safe operations of 12 well-equipped art making studios, school marketing strategy, faculty recruitment and training, school fundraising opportunities, and operational processes. She annually develops and manages a $1 million plus operational budget and oversees several scholarship and school endowment funds. Leslie also leads a team of 80 contract faculty and 12 department staff, annually delivers large-scale school community engagement events each quarter, and manages key community partnerships with Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency’s award-winning Education for the Arts program. As a result of a recent $1 million gift to the school, Leslie has also led a phased plan to upgrade the school studios, with a focus on safety.