Leslie Kirwan
Leslie A. Kirwan | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 1, 1957 Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Public official |
| Years active | 1985–2021 |
| Known for | Secretary of Administration and Finance of Massachusetts (2007–2009) |
Leslie A. Kirwan (born April 1, 1957) is a U.S. public official who held the position of Secretary of Administration and Finance of Massachusetts between 2007 and 2009.
Early life
Originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts, Kirwan received her A.B. degree from Harvard-Radcliffe in 1979. She later completed a Master of Public Policy at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1984.
Department of Revenue
Kirwan began her career at the Massachusetts Department of Revenue in 1985, taking on a managerial role within the Division of Local Services. There, she supervised local budget management, allocation of aid, and coordinated state interventions during municipal fiscal crises. Between 1991 and 1995, she advanced to deputy commissioner, following in the footsteps of her mentor Edward J. Collins, Jr.
Undersecretary Administration and Finance
In 1995, Kirwan was appointed as undersecretary and chief of staff to Charlie Baker at the Office of Administration and Finance. Serving as the second-highest official, she led initiatives to maximize revenue and maintained engagement with local governmental entities.
Massport
From 1997 until 2004, Kirwan held the role of Director of Administration and Finance at the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), effectively acting as Chief Financial Officer. She managed a team of approximately 80 employees responsible for all financial functions and played a key role in guiding Massport’s fiscal recovery following the September 11 attacks.
Secretary Administration and Finance
On December 6, 2006, Governor-elect Deval Patrick selected Kirwan as Secretary of Administration and Finance, marking her as both the first woman to occupy this office and the initial cabinet appointment by Patrick. In this capacity, she oversaw more than 2,500 state personnel and was charged with preparing the governor’s budget proposal, shaping fiscal policy, supervising the Commonwealth’s capital expenditures, and directing statewide budget operations. Her jurisdiction included entities such as the Department of Revenue along with divisions handling Human Resources and Information Technology.
Salvatore DiMasi trial
During the corruption proceedings against former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, Kirwan provided testimony for the prosecution. She disclosed that DiMasi had repeatedly pressured for the state's purchase of a data-collection software system from Cognos, despite her reservations regarding both timing and the $15 million cost. Ultimately, to satisfy DiMasi, the software was acquired for $13 million.
Harvard University
On September 25, 2009, Harvard University announced Kirwan’s appointment as Dean for Administration and Finance within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, effective November 2, 2009. She concluded her tenure in this role in 2021.