About me
Leslee Gilbert is a vice president at Van Scoyoc Associates with an extensive background in higher education, research, technology development and politics. She has over 25 years of hands-on experience in the Washington policy-making process and over 30 years of experience working in and with institutions of higher education and innovation organizations.
At VSA, Dr. Gilbert has developed a practice focusing on research, development and competitiveness in aerospace, defense, healthcare, technology-based economic development, basic and applied science, environmental policy, and energy.
Before joining VSA, she was majority staff director and counsel of the House of Representatives’ Science, Space, and Technology Committee, the primary committee for overseeing research and development in NSF, NASA, NIST, NOAA, EPA, and the Departments of Energy, Homeland Security, and Transportation. She played a central role in developing and implementing federal science, technology, and civil space policy, including NASA reauthorization bills, the Energy Independence and Security Act, and America COMPETES. Through this work, Dr. Gilbert developed and still maintains strong bipartisan relationships across Congress with those most involved in setting policy and providing funding for research and development.
Before coming to Washington, Dr. Gilbert was an assistant professor at St. Mary’s University in Minnesota, also serving as a faculty officer. She has published a variety of articles for academic and general audiences. She holds a B.A. from Texas A&M University, an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky, and a J.D. from the Washington College of Law at American University. She is a member of the Maryland Bar.
