Margarita Lekaj
Who is Margarita Lekaj?
Margarita Lekaj, MBA, is a Public Service Leader and Operations Professional based in New York with more than 15 years of experience in public sector budget management, grants management, fund accounting, and capital project oversight. Her career began in commercial banking before she made a deliberate shift toward mission-driven public service work.
What does Margarita Lekaj do as a District Purchasing Agent/Coordinator?
As a District Purchasing Agent/Coordinator, Margarita Lekaj manages procurement workflows, ensures competitive bidding compliance, and oversees contract admin. Her work in this role connects directly to her broader expertise in public sector budget management, keeping resources allocated responsibly and in line with regulatory requirements.
What is Margarita Lekaj’s educational background?
Margarita Lekaj holds an MBA from SUNY New Paltz, earned in 2020 while working full-time and raising three children. She also completed a Certificate in Education at Georgetown University, the SDBL Program at The College of Saint Rose with a 4.0 GPA, and received her Leadership Academy Certification through ASBO.
What is Margarita Lekaj’s approach to public sector budget management?
Margarita Lekaj treats public sector budget management as an ongoing process rather than a once-a-year task. Her approach integrates budget development, fiscal planning, fund accounting, and grants management, drawing on the financial discipline she built during her years in commercial banking.
What experience does Margarita Lekaj have in operations leadership?
Margarita Lekaj’s operations leadership experience spans procurement oversight, capital project oversight, and full-cycle fund accounting. She was recognized as a Top 10% Branch Manager at JPMorgan Chase, and she carried that same standard of accountability into her public service career.
How did Margarita Lekaj begin her career in public service?
Margarita Lekaj began her career in commercial banking, holding leadership roles at Bank of New York and JPMorgan Chase. She later made a values-driven move into public service, applying her financial and operations expertise to institutions that serve families and communities.
What does Margarita Lekaj’s work in grants management involve?
Margarita Lekaj’s grants management experience covers the full lifecycle of federal and state funding — from award tracking and procurement compliance to encumbrance management and closeout documentation. She approaches every funding source with attention to its specific compliance requirements.
What is Margarita Lekaj’s background and personal story?
Margarita Lekaj was born and raised in Montenegro and immigrated to the United States at 23 without speaking English. She learned the language, pursued her MBA and additional credentials, raised three children, and built a career defined by public sector budget management and operations leadership.
What values guide Margarita Lekaj’s leadership style?
Margarita Lekaj’s leadership is guided by integrity, accountability, equity, and service. She believes in leading with both analytical rigor and genuine care, and she views public resources as a responsibility that deserves the same discipline she brought to her banking career.
What are Margarita Lekaj’s professional affiliations?
Margarita Lekaj is a member of ASBO, ASBO International, and NYSBO. She has served in committee leadership roles, including Co-Chair of a Facilities and Operations Committee and Co-Chair of an Audit Committee, reflecting her ongoing commitment to public sector budget management and operations leadership beyond her day-to-day role.