Leocadia I. Zak served as acting director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency beginning in 2009 until she was confirmed as director by the United States Senate on March 10, 2010. She served as director of USTDA until 2018. Prior to that she was the general counsel (2000–2006) and deputy director (2006–2009) of USTDA. Prior to joining USTDA, Zak was a partner in the
Washington, D.C., and
Boston offices of
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. practicing in the areas of corporate, municipal and international finance. She served as counsel in connection with a variety of finance transactions for energy, transportation, healthcare, telecommunications and tourism projects. Zak was also an adjunct professor of law and has taught international project finance at the
Boston University School of Law, at the Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law Studies, and at the
Georgetown University Law Center. Zak received her B.A. from
Mount Holyoke College, which has named her to its Women of Influence Gallery. Her J.D. is from
Northeastern University School of Law. In 2018, Zak began serving as a member of
Rotary International in Atlanta. Zak also serves as a trustee of Global Communities and as a member of the
Truist Financial Atlanta Advisory Council. She became the ninth president of
Agnes Scott College in July 2018. Her tenure has focused on operational efficiency, enrollment, fundraising, and an expansion of the college's academics with new components to its SUMMIT curriculum, namely the Sophomore Class Atlanta Leadership Experience and Applied Career Experiences, as well as the creation of graduate-level programs. ==Views==