Leigh Handal
Leigh Handal first became involved with the American College of the Building Arts in its early days, when she served as Director of Communications and Public Programs at Historic Charleston Foundation (1998-2010), one of the entities that were involved in the College’s creation. She joined the ACBA team in 2016 as Chief Advancement Officer with primary responsibilities including fundraising, public relations, media relations, marketing and communications.
Ms. Handal has more than four decades of experience in public relations, marketing and development. Her past positions in higher education include having served as Director of Institutional Advancement at the Charleston School of Law; Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the S.C. Sea Grant College Consortium; and Assistant/Acting Director of College Relations at Winthrop University, where she founded the school’s award-winning alumni magazine. She also has managed advancement programs at Pet Helpers and the Preservation Society of Charleston.
Her marketing and publications initiatives have been recognized on the national level by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, National Association of Governmental Communicators, and Take Pride in America Foundation; on the regional and state levels by the S.C. Public Relations Association, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education District III, Printing Industries of the Carolinas, and the Southeastern Tourism Society; and on the local level by the Advertising Federation of America’s Charleston’s Chapter, Post and Courier Best of Awards, City Paper’s Best of Awards, and Charleston Magazine’s Best of Awards. In 2022, she was recognized by the Lowcountry Chapter of the Association of Professional Fundraisers as Outstanding Fundraising Professional.
In addition to her work at ACBA, Leigh owns her own tour company, Charleston Raconteurs, and is the author of two books - Lost Charleston (Pavilion 2019) and Storied & Scandalous Charleston (Pequot Globe August 2022). Her next book, Charleston Then & Now is set to be released in March 2024. She also writes a bi-monthly column, “Do You Know Your Lowcountry,” for the (Charleston) Post and Courier.