Dr. Kimberly L. Jeffries Leonard has a life-long commitment to public service exemplified throughout her successful professional, academic and civic endeavors. She serves as President and CEO of Envision Consulting, LLC, a boutique public health consulting firm specializing in strategic and innovative executive level solutions for public, private and government entities, including strategic planning, program design and implementation, and program/systems assessment and evaluation. She is the current chair of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. Board of Directors – the first Black woman to hold this position.
With over 40 years of experience in applied health and behavioral medicine research, evaluation, technical assistance and training, and policy specializing in health equity in diverse populations, Dr. Jeffries Leonard has held various executive level positions within the Washington, D.C. public health sector, including federal, private and local government entities. She has served as spokesperson for federal and state government initiatives and a number of organizations with interests related to public health. Dr. Jeffries Leonard’s leadership roles include Deputy Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Senior Deputy Director of the Addiction Prevention and Recovery Administration under the District of Columbia’s Department of Health; Chief Operating Officer of District of Columbia’s Department of Health; and Senior Technical Vice President and Senior Research Scientist at The MayaTech Corporation.
Dr. Jeffries Leonard earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Psychology from Howard University, a Master of Arts degree in Psychology from North Carolina Central University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Fayetteville State University. She completed a National Institutes of Minority Health pre-doctoral fellowship at The George Washington University Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences examining chronic disease and family systems; a National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute post-doctoral fellowship at the Howard University Cancer Center, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics studying cardiovascular and cancer epidemiology; and a Graduate Summer Program in Epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. She is the recipient of numerous honors, awards and recognitions, including the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) Alumni of the Year Award from her alma mater, Fayetteville State University; AARP "African American Change Maker" and National Health Leader; the Women in Excellence Reaching Higher Award by the Afro American Newspaper; The Chancellor’s Medallion - Fayetteville State University’s highest honor bestowed on an alumnus; 2021 Dove CROWN Award; Black Girls Vote 2020 Legacy Award; National Coalition of 100 Black Women Honorary Member – Class of 2021; and Arlington, VA 2022 Women of the Year Award. She has also been recognized with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Representative Donna Christian-Christianson and was the recipient of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) Travel Award and the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Minority Scholar Award.
In addition to serving as the current chair of the ACS CAN Board of Directors, Dr. Jeffries Leonard's extensive service includes serving as the current Chair of Fayetteville State University Board of Trustees – her undergraduate alma mater; current Member and Secretary of AIDS United Board of Directors; the 17th National President of The Links, Incorporated and The Links Foundation, Incorporated; Vice President of Administration and Member of the Board of Directors of the Black Women’s Agenda, Inc.; past Member of the American Heart Association Diversity Leadership Committee and Member of the American Heart Association Advocacy Coordinating Committee; and past Member of the Petey Greene Program Board of Trustees.
Dr. Jeffries Leonard was recently appointed to the District of Columbia Racial Equity Advisory Board by Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. Other Bowser mayoral appointments include former Chair of the Commission on African American Affairs and Member of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic ReOpen DC Advisory Group and the ReOpen DC Task Force on Equity, Disparity Reduction, and Vulnerable Populations Subcommittee.
Dr. Jeffries Leonard is the Executive Producer on “The Invitation,” a documentary about the history of The Links, Incorporated. She served as a cultural advisor on the Pixar movie “Soul.”
A Life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Dr. Jeffries Leonard is a Silver Star and a Member of the current International President’s executive team. She is also a Life Member of National Council of Negro Women; Life Member and Washington DC Associate Member of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated; and Ruling Elder at 15th Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC.
A native of Fayetteville, North Carolina and enrolled member of the state-recognized tribe Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Dr. Jeffries Leonard is married to Retired District of Columbia Fire and EMS (FEMS) Battalion Fire Chief Stephen V. Leonard. They are the proud parents of two sons, Victor and Alexander.