Leah Landrum Taylor
Leah Landrum Taylor is currently serving as an Assistant Director in the Department of Economic Security (DES) Director’s Office and oversees the Offices of Community Engagement, Tribal Relations, and Ombudsman. She first joined DES in October 2015 where she served as Deputy Assistant Director for the Division of Child Support Services.
Before joining DES, Senator Landrum Taylor worked for the Arizona Department of Education on the State Superintendent’s Executive Team where she served as the Associate Superintendent for Special Projects Division.
Leah served as an elected Official for the Arizona State Senate and House of Representatives in District 27 and termed out after 16 years in January, 2015. During her time at the Legislature she served on the Education and Commerce, Energy and Military Committees, the CPS Oversight Committee and the Governor’s CARE Team. Senator Landrum Taylor has previously served as the Senate Minority Leader and has served on the Economic Development, Public Safety and Human Services Committees, Veterans and Military Affairs, Senate Ethics Committee and the Governor’s Child Protective Services Task Force, House Ways and Means and Environment Committees as well as Adoption and Foster Care, Homelessness and also the Governor’s Brown Cloud Summit and Federal Mandate Committees during the interim of Legislative Sessions.
Senator Landrum Taylor is an Alumna of the American Council of Young Political Leaders as well as an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow of Emerging Political Leaders in America. She was voted as one of the 2010 World of the Future Award Honorees by the Girl Scouts Arizona. Senator Landrum Taylor has been featured on the cover of the Arizona Woman Magazine and during Arizona’s Centennial Celebration in January, 2012 she was one of the honorees selected as Arizona’s 48 Most Intriguing Women by the Arizona Centennial Legacy Project partnering with the Arizona Historical Society and the Arizona Community Foundation for her leadership and commitment to the future of Arizona. Senator Landrum Taylor received a special acknowledgement in Essence Magazine.
Senator Landrum Taylor attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University through the Fannie Mae Foundation with the focus on affordable housing. Landrum Taylor is well known for championing Foster Care and Adoption issues as well as Kinship Care Legislation.
She is currently President of the Phoenix Chapter of Jack and Jill. She is also a Board of Trustee member for Brophy College Preparatory, as well as Tanner Properties, ChildHelp Inc and Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC). Senator Landrum Taylor is also the Founder of the African American Commission and African American Legislative Day Conference as well as serving as an ex-officio board member.
Senator Landrum Taylor is a third generation native Phoenician, educated at Xavier College Preparatory and Arizona State University where she received a Bachelor's and Master’s degree in Political Science.