Leigh Whitaker is the Vice President for Government and Community Affairs at the University of Pennsylvania. Whitaker rejoined Penn in October 2025, after serving as a Principal in the Government Relations Section at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, where she advocated for clients before local and state governments, and advised clients on how to implement strategies to advance their business interests. Prior to joining Buchanan, Whitaker serve for seven years as Penn’s Director of City Relations, where she was Penn’s liaison with the City of Philadelphia and City Council and advised the University community on matters related to local government.

Whitaker is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University and Temple University School of Law, and is a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Committee of Seventy, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), KIPP Administrative Services Corporation (KASC), and Mission First Housing Group, and chairs the board of the Philadelphia Facilities Management Corporation (PFMC).