Mr. Leslie K. King Email & Phone Number

New York, United States

Bronx, New York

Serves as the Chief Financial Aid Officer responsible for annual compliant processing of 23,000+ federal & state financial aid applications, including verifications, administration, awarding, reconciliation, and perennial disbursements of $25M+ in student aid programs to over 90% of enrolled students. Oversees all aspects of the department, including strategic planning, budgeting, professional development, operations, partnerships, and program management.• Leads central financial aid walk-in office serving 27,000 in-person & virtual visits and 5,000 phone calls, annually• Recruits, coaches, and develops a strong leadership team, including succession planning at every level• Establishes a data-driven culture of continuous improvement to drive performance excellence• Cultivates an atmosphere of innovative thinking to navigate crises and ensure organizational resilience• Develops and implements strategic marketing plans aligned with the College's mission & enrollment goals; this involves forecasting financial trends, assessing risks & needs, and ensuring sustainable enrollment growth, retention, and graduation rates• Oversees budgeting process including the equitable allocation of resources across student programs, which requires balancing competing priorities while maintaining fiscal discipline• Assesses and manages financial risk that impacts the College’s stability, such as market fluctuations, regulatory changes, and unforeseen expenses

Bronx, New York, United States

Led 75+ full-time unionized staff in the Offices of Admissions, Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, Registrar, Data & Communications, and Academic Advisement while working collaboratively with executive leadership to develop and implement strategies to achieve student support outcomes and meet enrollment, retention, and graduation targets.• Analyzed recruitment strategies for program effectiveness in collaboration with the Director of Admissions to optimize KPI's • Sustained revenue goals despite the enrollment crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest of 2020-2021• Implemented the College’s Strategic Plan and provided vital insight into short and long-term institutional goals• Revamped the student recruitment process and coordinated opportunities for faculty, staff, current students, and alums to promote the College's programs and resources• Developed groundbreaking marketing plans, which included robust evidence-based recruitment and support strategies• Created and sustained a department-wide culture of shared responsibility through transparent leadership and clear communication• Partnered with the College President, University Chancellery, and other senior administrators to provide financial insights and to support critical decision-making• Built a culture of integrity, transparency, empathy, and accountability within the College’s financial operations, adhering to ethical standards and best practices • Ensured the delivery of exceptional customer service to students, faculty, staff, and community members

New York, New York, United States

Led a team of 7+ full-time unionized clerical and professional staff and oversaw the Financial Aid, Bursar, and Registrar Offices. Managed central student service walk-in office for prospective students, 10,000+ matriculated students, of which 70% received financial aid awards.• Managed the administration, reconciliation, and compliance of the University’s $100M+ Direct Loan and private student loan portfolio, including manual/batch loan originations, certifications, loan returns, import/export of loan data to and from external systems (COD, ELM, EDconnect, NSLDS), and Direct Loan entrance/exit loan counseling• Directly supervised, trained, coached, and evaluated the job performances of team members, providing career laddering and individual development plans• Annually evaluated, supported, and awarded $250,000, up to total need, in federal, state, and institutional financial aid to promising economically and academically disadvantaged students in the Higher Education Opportunity Program.• Chaired the Petrie Fund Committee for emergency student funding that assessed individual cases and awarded $100,000 in grants to students with temporary acute emergencies • Coordinated open houses, info-sessions, and webinars for prospective and admitted students and their families• Counseled students/parents financial aid programs and financing options• Processed financial aid applications and awards across undergraduate & graduate divisions and programs in accordance with federal, state, and institutional policies and regulations• Performed verification of FAFSA data, processed petitions for professional judgments and appeal letters, and re-assessed financial need

Master Of Fine Arts (Mfa), Creative Writing

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Liberal Arts