July 20, 2016 — The Arlington School Board appointed Leslie Peterson as the new Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Management Services at last night’s meeting. Peterson is currently the APS Budget Director.

“Leslie brings 20 years of experience as a professional in the field of school finance and business management,” said Superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy. “She has worked diligently in her role with APS as the Budget Director to expand community engagement and outreach efforts regarding budget development for APS. She has a strong mastery of skills and knowledge in finance and management, which she has definitely demonstrated in her time with APS.”

Peterson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from the University of Virginia and a Masters in Business Administration from George Mason University. She has held several positions in the field of school finance, ranging from manager of procurement to executive director of finance and management.

While serving as APS Budget Director, Peterson has received several awards and recognition for her work in the finance and management field that include the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), Meritorious Budget Award and Pinnacle of Achievement Award from the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO).

In her current position as Budget director, she has led the work in creating an online budget balancing tool, the Citizen’s Guide to Budget Documents, and also led the Spanish community budget forums for Arlington’s Spanish-speaking community.

Peterson’s appointment begins July 21.