John K. Leo
Director of Community Outreach

A familiar face to Chinatown residents, John Leo has ties to the community that go back to his elementary school years at the Chinese School. With his government and business experience, John is uniquely qualified to direct the Chinatown Partnership’s community outreach program.

As Chinatown Community Liaison & Project Manager for the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, John identified, developed and monitored projects to assist the Chinatown community. His responsibilities included community outreach, coordination with city and state government officials, print and TV media relations, event management, and serving on multiple committees and advisory councils focused on community development and infrastructure improvement. John was instrumental in launching the Explore Chinatown tourism marketing campaign and facilitated the installation of the Chinatown Visitors Information Kiosk by coordinating with five government agencies.

Many of John’s close-knit ties to the Chinatown community were forged during the years he managed his family’s garment factory in Chinatown, where he began by working on the shop floor.

John is a founding organizer of the Chinatown Working Group and a member of the Asian American Federation Chinatown Business Study Advisory Committee, among other affiliations. He is bilingual in English and Chinese (Cantonese & Mandarin).