The City of Staunton has hired Anna Leavitt as the new Economic Mobility and Opportunity Special Assistant. This position is funded by a competitive private grant managed by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), bringing significant resources into Staunton at no cost to local taxpayers. Support for ICMA’s program was made possible through a grant from the Gates Foundation.
Leavitt’s role tackles a specific economic disconnect: 42 percent of Staunton households are “cost-burdened” by housing, while local employers struggle to fill open jobs. She will coordinate between city departments and outside agencies to address these gaps, focusing on:
- Efficiency: Streamlining city efforts so work isn’t segmented in “silos.”
- Workforce: Helping businesses fill vacancies and individuals find living wage jobs by addressing barriers like lack of skills training, transportation, and childcare.
- Housing: Implementing strategies to ensure the people who work in Staunton can afford to live in Staunton.
- Transportation: Improving how residents access jobs and essential services through better regional transit connections.
Leavitt joins the city after serving as Executive Director of CAPSAW (Community Action Partnership of Staunton, Augusta, & Waynesboro). In that role, she managed local, state, and federal funding and led efforts directly aligned with Staunton’s new goals: coordinating housing and workforce initiatives and strengthening partnerships between government and nonprofits. Her extensive background in program design and grant compliance makes her uniquely qualified to hit the ground running.
“What excites me about this role is the chance to look at housing, workforce development, education, and transportation as connected pieces of the same puzzle,” said Leavitt, who brings over 15 years of regional experience to the role. “I’m looking forward to working with city staff and community partners to strengthen the pathways that help Staunton residents build the futures they want.”
City Manager Leslie Beauregard emphasized that this grant provides high-level capacity without impacting the city budget.
“We are a lean organization. This grant allows us to bring a dedicated specialist onto our team using external funding,” said Beauregard. “This is a direct investment in our residents’ financial stability.”
Staunton was selected as one of only 16 communities nationwide for this program, bringing these private dollars back to the Shenandoah Valley.
This Youtube Video from ICMA helps explain more about the program and different locality’s initiatives.