Leslie Wingard Cunningham

Leslie Wingard Cunningham serves as the Associate Provost for Faculty Development at Washington and Lee University, joining from The College of Wooster where she was the Mildred Foss Thompson Professor of English and Dean for Faculty Development. She holds a B.A. from Spelman College and M.A./Ph.D. from UCLA. Her academic focus includes African American film, literature, and religion, with dual faculty appointments in English and Africana Studies.

She leads DEI initiatives through roles such as co-chairing the University Committee on Inclusiveness and Campus Climate (UCICC), overseeing the DeLaney Center, Mudd Center for Ethics, and Office of Community Based Learning. Prior roles include Dean of Faculty at Wooster, interim Vice President for Equity, and Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at Williams College. Her professional development work includes coaching via the National Center for Faculty Development and participation in HERS Leadership Institute.

Wingard Cunningham emphasizes collaborative faculty support, inclusive practices, and campus climate improvement. She has held teaching roles at multiple institutions and completed fellowships at Princeton and Williams College.