Leonard Williams
Chief Finance and Administrative Officer
Arlington, VA
Leonard Williams Chief Finance and Administrative Officer for The Nature Conservancy. © Bill Marr/TNC
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Financial Systems, Nonprofit Leadership, Operational Efficiency
Biography
As The Nature Conservancy’s Chief Finance and Administrative Officer, Leonard is accountable for managing and directing the organization’s finance, investment and business services functions, while also supporting the design and execution of the company’s overall strategy and providing the leadership and management necessary to ensure that the Conservancy has support programs, operational controls, financial administrative and reporting procedures, financial systems and human capital in place to ensure financial strength, operating efficiency, and competitive advantage in support of the conservation mission.
Leonard joined the Conservancy in 2018 and has over 20 years of financial, operational and technology management experience in mission-focused and value-driven organizations. Leonard is a trusted advisor, leader and big-picture thinker, with substantial experience in controlling costs, identifying opportunities that create value, advancing organizational culture and driving innovation with a passion for building loyal and motivated teams that collaborate and contribute to a culture of success.
Prior to joining the Conservancy, Leonard served as COO and CFO for QED Group, a global consulting organization, CFO for NeighborWorks America, a premier player in the domestic affordable housing space, CFO for Pact, Inc., a leading global NGO, and COO and CFO for Verizon Federal Systems where he was accountable for delivering on all aspects of federally contracted information technology, telecommunications, and infrastructure requirements.
Leonard holds an MBA in Finance and Decision Sciences from the Wharton Graduate Business School, a MSEE in Computer and Information Technology and a BSE in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania, and he has completed post-graduate studies at MIT and the Darden School’s Graduate Executive Education Program. A frequent speaker at professional conferences, in 2014 he was named first runner-up as NFP CFO of the Year by the Washington Business Journal and Practitioner of the Year by the industry group InsideNGO.
Having played football and basketball in high school and college, Leonard is an avid sports fan who closely follows the Vikings, Eagles and Raiders NFL football teams and the Clippers and Lakers NBA basketball teams. A renowned cook/foodie, he also enjoys an eclectic set of musical styles, ranging from soulful house and trance to EDM. Leonard resides in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., and is the proud grandparent of five.