The City of Fayetteville has hired the financial leader, Kimberly Leonard, to be the next Budget and Evaluation Department Director. Her new role includes developing, communicating and administering the City’s annual operating budget and capital improvement program. She began her new role on Feb. 20.

“Kimberly’s credentials, knowledge and experience will make her a welcomed addition and value added to our team,” said City Manager Doug Hewett in a press release. “Improvements she has made at prior stops during her career demonstrates her leadership ability and innovative ways to seek to enhance processes.”

Leonard has over 30 years of experience as a managerial and financial leader. She is coming to the City from Pender County, where she served as the budget manager. There,
she assisted departments with budgeting techniques, developed systems for processing and collecting FEMA grant information and increased budget accuracy leading to less amendments.

Leonard is also an adjunct professor at University of North Carolina at Wilmington teaching in the Master of Public Administration program.

“I am honored to be joining such stellar city leadership and budget staff in working to achieve the next level of excellence,” said Leonard in a press release. “The City of Fayetteville’s budget
team is and will continue to be committed to providing fiscally responsible management, accountability and transparency.”

Prior to her time at Pender County, Leonard work for Windham and Henderson as a certified public accountant, Worsley Operating Company as an account and human resources manager
and Southeastern Nephrology Associates as chief financial officer.

Leonard received both a Master of Public Administration focusing on governmental administration and Bachelor of Science in Accountancy from UNCW. She is a North Carolina certified  public accountant, certified local government budget officer and certified local government financial officer.