Leslie S. Hough, PhD
Project Director
Dr. Leslie S. Hough brings to his position as Project Director for NCDS over thirty years of experience in advancement and administration of a variety of enterprises in higher education and other non-profit settings.
This experience has served Les and a variety of NCDS clients well during his varied assignments. Dr. Hough conducted a successful study for the Gallatin Shalom Zone in Gallatin, TN, that led to a successful campaign. Les has also managed projects for the Collierville Education Foundation in Collierville, TN and Shorter College Athletics in Rome, GA and is currently leading an extremely successful campaign for an economic diversification initiative in the “Carpet Calital of the World,” Dalton, GA.
Prior to joining NCDS, Les was Executive Director of the Usery Center for the Workplace at Georgia State University. He was responsible for advancement and administration of the Center and all of its programs, and he obtained in excess of $4 million from private donors, corporations, foundations and both state and federal government agencies in that role. Among the Center’s top programmatic priorities was workforce development. This effort involved extensive work with Workforce Investment Boards at both the state and local level.
As Director of Research at the Usery Center, Dr. Hough was responsible for research on a variety of workplace and economic development issues. He has been widely quoted in the media in Atlanta and elsewhere on these issues.
Prior to his work at the Usery Center, Dr. Hough was Director of Wayne State University’s Reuther Library, the leading institution of its kind in the world. Before that, he was Director of Special Collections at the Georgia State University Library and held the rank of Full Professor with tenure at both Georgia State and Wayne State Universities.
Dr. Hough received his Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts degrees from the University of Virginia and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Olivet Nazarene University. A Decatur, GA resident, Les and his wife, Sharon enjoy travel, running, and partaking of Atlanta’s diverse cultural offerings.