Tameika Leslie

At BUILD I…

work with state leaders to support their efforts to build a high-quality, equitable early care and education systems as part of a comprehensive, equitable state early childhood system through intensive and responsive technical assistance. I manage or contribute to projects collaborating with consultants and other BUILD staff to meet deadlines from state leaders requesting support. I also support multiple work group/peer learning opportunities through facilitation of collaborative meetings and small work groups. Additionally, I support the annual conference planning activities to ensure we consider racial equity implications in every session offered and promote learning and actions that highlight and address racial disparities.

I do this work because…

it is critically important for Black and brown children and their families to have someone that looks like them collaborating with state and local leaders to advocate for high quality, racially equitable and easily accessible early learning policies, and programs.

I am most proud of…

my children and the contributions I made that helped create a County funded pre-kindergarten program for low-income children and families in Mecklenburg County, NC.

An aspect of my work that excites me…

is learning about the innovative early childhood education work across the country that is helping address and/or eliminate racial disparities.

Work History

• Mecklenburg County Social Services Project Manager-Special Initiatives
• Mecklenburg County Manager’s Office-Senior Assistant to the County Manager-Early Childhood Education Initiatives
• Mecklenburg County Manager’s Office- Project Manager-Early Childhood Education Initiatives

Education

•  Master of Public Affairs, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
• Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC