SETH Leonard
38 | Vermont Housing Finance Agency | Managing Director of Community Development
Residence: Winooski
Career highlight(s): Studying Political Science, History, and African American/Asian Studies did not naturally position me to be successful 
in finance. From the time I started learning at Opportunities Credit Union, through managing federal financing programs at the United States Department of Agriculture, to my work at Vermont Housing 
Finance Agency, I have forged a unique path; having opportunities to leverage financial resources and policy towards finding the best outcomes for individual and community needs. 
The field I work in does not have a standard course of study or degree and learning how to strategically make investments that truly impact lives and communities has been the greatest professional privilege. I am proud of what I have learned so far, and proud of the impact I have had in affordable housing and Winooski, but know there is also so much I don’t know. I am just as excited to grow and learn as when I started my career and started serving our community!
Community Involvement: My community and civic investments are an extension of my professional goals. I have combined these efforts to use my time to make as large of a difference in Vermont communities that my abilities allow. Early on, through the United Way and Burlington Young Professionals, I was introduced to the network of community service providers and learned how to leverage civic engagement alongside community resources to tackle difficult challenges. After several service projects and focuses, I sought to make a more formal civic impact on my community and ran for political office in the community I care so deeply about, Winooski. I served on community boards from the Designated Downtown organization, to a liaison to the Planning Commission. As a Mayor and City Councilor, our leadership team worked to reflect a shared community vision as we navigated Winooski through a period of growth and substantial change – including an updated Municipal Plan, updated Land Use Regulations, and large-scale reinvestment planning for infrastructure and community development. Through these efforts, I have stayed focused on making a positive difference in the lives of my neighbors, people who live in our region, and all Vermonters. I am very proud of the way my professional work and community involvement have intersected and given me opportunities to make a difference in Winooski and beyond.
What motivated you to live and work in Vermont? I chose to be in Vermont. I only drove through the mountains once, and saw the sun set on Lake Champlain once before I knew this had to be my home. I moved here not knowing a soul in the state and with no natural employment prospects.
Favorite part of your job? I work with a team and partners who are endlessly dedicated to meeting our state's housing and community development goals, and they inspire me every day. We have a micro and macro impact, you get to see a housing unit become someone's home, and you get to see a building become the cornerstone of a community. There are ripple impacts from our work, as housing stability allows Vermonters to be more healthy, have better chances at reaching their other life goals; meanwhile a rehabilitated historic property can change the mood of a neighborhood or an entire community.
Most inspiring mentor and why: Cheryl Fatnassi (former President & CEO of Opportunities Credit Union) taught me how to leverage a community's resources to improve the lives of individuals and families, and to be creative in doing so. Cheryl was especially effective in helping New Americans and other underserved Vermonters have equal access to resources to build their futures. Watching Cheryl inspired me to color outside the lines if it meant finding a new solution to a long-standing problem, a rare thing in the world of finance.
What is the best career advice you have received? My mother from a childhood: "be a sponge". I have taken that to every educational, volunteer, and work opportunity and it has reminded me to learn and absorb from each environment.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know: Few people know my wife and I love to hike, and were married on Camels Hump at sunrise. Last year we hiked in far-flung places like Italy and New Mexico. This year, we immersed ourselves in our backyard and hiked the 272 mile Long Trail end to end in 19.5 days.
What three words best describe you: Empathetic. Open-Minded. Passionate.
Favorite Vermont escape: A perfect Vermont day in the Northeast Kingdom: visit Lake Willoughby for a dip, stop by Hill Farmstead for beer, pick up a couple pizzas from Parker Pie, and into a field to watch Bread & Puppet Theater.
Favorite downtime activity: Put me on a hiking trail next to my best friend (my wife, Jen) and I am one happy human. Afterwards, fill me with Mad Taco and Canteen Creemee in Waitsfield and life cannot get much better.
Person you would most like to share a Vermont beverage with: No longer living: I would share a beer on a mountain-top with James P. Taylor. He was the father of the Long Trail, which ultimately also inspired the Appalachian Trail. His vision created the most incredible 273 mile window into Vermont's unending natural beauty.
If you had unlimited access to funds, which cause(s) would you support: Achieving Racial and Social Equity/Justice - with a focus on supporting civic engagement and social change leadership opportunities for underrepresented populations. Preservation and access to our natural treasurers and outdoor activities, and make early-life outdoor activity accessible to everyone.
Where do you see yourself professionally in the next 5-10 years? When I transitioned back to VHFA a few years ago it was to take my dream job. I have the perfect balance of working in the details of Vermont's critical community development projects, while also working on broad policy initiatives. I still have much to learn and improve upon – so I hope I am looking back and celebrating thousands of affordable housing units and hundreds of impacted communities from our work.
What career goal(s) would you like to accomplish in the next 5-10 years? The pandemic has created many challenges, but also has opened new doors for partnerships and caused us to rethink how we do things in community development. I strongly believe we have an opportunity to recalibrate our community investment goals and rework the way we approach community development in our state. I want us to employ EVERY resource we have as effectively as possible, and there are underutilized resources we can engage right now. I look forward to being part of large-scale changes to how we manage the limited and scarce resources our state has to create and maintain our vibrancy and move Vermont into our bright future. When I transitioned back to VHFA a few years ago it was to take my dream job. I have the perfect balance of working in the details of Vermont's critical community development projects, while also working on broad policy initiatives. I still have much to learn and improve upon – so I hope I am looking back and celebrating thousands of affordable housing units and hundreds of impacted communities from our work.
How has your community service changed since the pandemic? At the onset of the pandemic I shifted my community-based volunteering to supporting our business community, especially in Winooski. Through our Designated Downtown Board we are working to provide small businesses with a platform and voice in how local and statewide recovery resources are invested in communities.
How has your job changed since this pandemic? We already focus on housing Vermont’s most vulnerable populations, so the pandemic has exacerbated existing community issues around housing affordability, homelessness, and service needs. There are incredible silver linings in the form of innovation, new collaborations, and a higher level of coordination. I believe the community development and human service fields will come out of the pandemic stronger and more effective.