Michael Leighs

Michael Leighs has more than 20 years of experience working in health and human services with a focus on public policy, program management, and stakeholder engagement. As Deputy Secretary for Opportunity and Well-Being at NCDHHS, Michael oversees multiple divisions that support North Carolinians across all stages of life. The portfolio includes Child and Family Well-Being, Social Services, Child Development and Early Education, Aging Services, Employment and Independence for People with Disabilities, Services for the Blind, and Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Together, they operate with a combined budget of approximately $4.4 billion and are supported by roughly 3,000 full-time staff.

During his previous six years with NCDHHS, Michael held senior roles in the Office of Government Affairs and NC Medicaid, where he led communications and external engagement during the state's transition to Medicaid managed care. This included the successful launch of the state's first-ever Medicaid Ombudsman program. Michael also worked closely on the development and rollout of Medicaid expansion across the state, which now serves more than 650,000 North Carolinians.

Before returning to North Carolina in 2015, Michael worked in Los Angeles for more than 10 years in the government and nonprofit sectors, including serving in senior roles at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Michael's career in public policy began as a staff member in the U.S. Senate. He has an undergraduate degree in business administration from UNC–Chapel Hill and a Master of Public Policy degree from UCLA. He and his wife Kristen live in Cary with their two teenage children