Leslie Koch is president of the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation (GIPEC). Governors Island is a 172 acre island in the heart of New York Harbor that includes a 92 acre National Historic Landmark District with historic buildings, fortifications, and open spaces. Appointed by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Governor George E. Pataki in April 2006, Ms. Koch is responsible for the planning, redevelopment and on-going operation of 150 acres of the Island. Under her leadership, GIPEC has developed a strategy to create world-class open spaces on the Island, expand public access and early signature uses, preserve historic structures and improve the Island's transportation and infrastructure, and plan for mixed-use public and private development over a multi-year, multi-phase process. This strategy is helping to transform Governors Island into a destination with great public open space, as well as education and other facilities.

Prior to GIPEC, Leslie Koch was the CEO of the Fund for Public Schools, the nonprofit organization affiliated with the New York City Department of Education where she developed initiatives to increase public participation and private sector support for public education in New York City. Under her leadership, the Fund secured nearly $160 million for system-wide initiatives and school-based programs.

A native New Yorker, Ms. Koch began her career in the NYC government and since that time, her career has spanned all three sectors. As an executive with Microsoft, she was responsible for strategic development and marketing of several flagship products. Ms. Koch also served as a consultant and board member for a variety of organizations. She graduated summa cum laude from Yale College with a B.A. in history and received a Masters in Public and Private Management from the Yale School of Management.