|
|
|
|
June
07, 2002
|
an
online newsletter for and by NOAA employees
|
|
Invaluable Legal Resource 
Her name is Leila Afzal. Her title is managing attorney in NOAA’s Office of General Counsel. Ask why she is NOAA’s June Employee of the Month, and the answer quickly becomes clear. Only it depends on whom you ask. Leila is the person NOAA looked to when launching an innovative education toy project. And to clear a path for naming the Florida Keys Environmental Center in memory of Dr. Nancy Foster. The Offices of Chief Scientist and Sustainable Development depend on her expertise, and so do many others. Leila is greatly appreciated for generously making her skills available to anyone at NOAA who needs legal assistance. Bottom-line, Leila is being honored for “extraordinary legal skills” and a real talent for sheparding matters not only through the required approval process but to successful resolutions. Despite significant management responsibilities, she is the lead attorney for several NOAA programs. When matters don’t fit neatly into any line office, she provides legal advice to the Office of the Under Secretary. Leila came to NOAA from law school in 1984, left three years later to work in international trade, and returned to NOAA in 1990. She and her husband are active in their Washington, DC Cleveland Park neighborhood where Leila is co-president of the Cleveland Park Club . She's just finished a stint as a parent volunteer for the production of "Guys and Dolls" at her 10-year-old son Kian's school and next year will be the producer of the school's play. Leila leads with legal acumen, manages by example, stays vigilant about NOAA interests, and functions as a dedicated member of NOAA’s team. Those who know her best are not at all surprised she’s being honored as Employee of the Month. Leila says she's quite taken aback and humbled by the recognition. |
|||||||||||
|
