Bill Leighty has served two Virginia governors as chief of staff, shared moments with the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and Tom Hanks and enjoyed the satisfaction of a career promoting the common good. Now he and wife Marti Leighty, a professor emerita at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, are helping students from their alma mater begin their own public service careers at the state level.
Both former members of Mary Washington’s Board of Visitors, they’ve begun the William H. Leighty ’78 and Martha Kearns Leighty ’75 Fellows Program.
The endowed fellowship will encourage University of Mary Washington juniors and seniors to intern with state legislators, public officials or state agencies. Students from any major can apply for the program, which will provide a $5,000 stipend and up to six academic credit hours for a semester-long or summer internship.
To kick off fundraising for the fellowship endowment, the Leightys have made a $50,000 philanthropic commitment. They’re also donating proceeds from Bill Leighty’s just-published book, Capitol Secrets: Leadership Wisdom From a Lifetime of Public Service, a memoir packed with anecdotes and insider details about getting things done at the highest levels of state government.
The Leightys were on campus Thursday, April 13, for a daylong introduction of the fellowship and an advance opportunity for members of the UMW community to obtain the book, which was officially released the next day. Events included a master class in public service, a panel discussion with alumni who serve at the local and state levels, and an evening reception and book-signing.
Lessons Learned During a Life of Public Service
Speaking to more than 70 students and other members of the UMW community in a master class in Monroe Hall, Bill Leighty shared wisdom from a career that he began as a Vietnam-era Marine and continued while serving under 12 Virginia governors.
Among Leighty’s key lessons for success: Form a wide network of professionals to help you answer any question that comes up. Learn the art of communication, including being able to read body language. Continuously improve your knowledge and skills via extensive reading and public speaking.
And have the courage of your convictions, because there will be times when you must object to a decision by a higher-up.
He illustrated many of those principles with stories that are also included in Capitol Secrets – detailed and funny behind-the-scenes tales that name names.
Alumni Reflect on the Rewards of Public Service Careers
An afternoon session in the Digital Auditorium of the Hurley Convergence Center assembled a panel of alumni now serving in various state and local governmental capacities.
Besides Leighty, speakers were Chris Winslow ’01, a member of the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors; Erik Johnston ’03, president and CEO of the Virginia Community Action Partnership; Tom Allison ’07, assistant director of finance and innovation for the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV); and Amy Atkinson ’83, executive director of the Virginia Commission on Youth. Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies, moderated.
The panelists related how they came to serve their specific governmental roles, shared details of their work, and answered audience questions about career trajectories, networking and professional goals.
Book-Signing Draws a Crowd – and Greetings From Two Senators
Leighty’s Virginia public service résumé has many notable entries, including as deputy director of the Department of Transportation and Public safety and director of the Virginia Retirement System. His cool head in a crisis, foresight, initiative and ability to solve seemingly intractable problems ultimately landed him as chief of staff to consecutive governors.
Under Mark Warner, Leighty helped persuade executive producer Tom Hanks to film much of the John Adams miniseries in Virginia – a deal that included taking Hanks on a middle-of-the-night tour of the Virginia Capitol.
And under Tim Kaine, Leighty worked with Buckingham Palace on details for the late queen’s 2007 visit to Virginia in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Jamestown’s founding. That led to a solo audience with the queen – during which, Leighty recalled with a laugh, he muffed a planned bow and curtsied instead.
Both Warner and Kaine now represent Virginia in the U.S. Senate, and both sent video greetings to a well-attended gala reception and book-signing Thursday night in the ballroom of the Jepson Alumni Executive Center.
“I’m glad Bill didn’t share all of the secrets,” Warner said, adding, “Bill was the glue that kept our administration together … Your book is a great story of your growth and Virginia’s growth.”
Kaine noted that Leighty “had an instinct about the right thing to do, and also had the relationships to pull things together.” Capitol Secrets, Kaine said, “is a primer for anybody who wants to be in public life.”
To learn more or support the fund, visit the William H. Leighty ’78 and Martha Kearns Leighty ’75 Fellows Program.
