Kevin Spence takes leadership role at Delaware League of Local Governments

Kevin J. Spence, PhD, has been appointed as the new executive director of the Delaware League of Local Governments, a nonpartisan, nonprofit, statewide organization that serves Delaware’s villages, towns, cities and counties.

Established in 1963, the DLLG is a hub for local government advocacy, education and best leadership practices; it provides a unified voice for local government that connects leaders, partners and supporters throughout the state.

Spence recommends policies to the executive committee, legislative advocacy committee and members at large, focusing on how they affect local government. He also advocates legislative priorities on behalf of the DLLG.

“I’m honored and excited to have been appointed to serve our municipal members, affiliate and commercial partners, and the state’s administrators and elected officials,” Spence said. “I look forward to bringing my political background, international education and work experiences to increase the quality of life for all Delawareans.” He was previously a Delaware resident from 2003-12, and now lives in Lewes.

Milford Mayor Arthur Campbell, whose term as DLLG president ends in December, said, “We couldn’t more pleased that Kevin’s on board. It was great being the president and I learned a lot. We have a great group of people. We all participate and complement each other.”

Spence is a member of the National League of Cities, International City/County Management Association and City Management Association of Delaware. In 2022, he was awarded a doctoral degree from Kent State University in higher education administration specializing in international education. His doctoral work included analyzing the educational policies in Cuba and conducting research in authoritarian regimes. He is a veteran higher education instructor with extensive overseas living, working, grant-writing and teacher-training experience in Morocco, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Colombia and Cuba. Spence has taught in three overseas universities and four universities in the United States, including the University of Delaware, his alma mater.

He has served in two international leadership positions: as the NAFSA – Association of International Educators Indiana State representative for Region VI, and as chair of the Latin America Special Interest Group for the Comparative & International Education Society. Spence is also a former U.S. Department of State Virtual Foreign Service e-intern (Cuba Economic Baseline Study) and English Language Fellow alumni ambassador. An alumnus of the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University, Spence served as a print news reporter in New York City, and in 2001, was awarded a Scripps Howard Foundation Award to report from Israel and the Occupied Territories. In Delaware, he covered local politics and government, and statehouse legislation while working as a Cape Gazette reporter, and he received Best Spot News Coverage and Best Continuing Series journalism awards from the Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association. He earned a master’s degree in TESL from the University of Delaware and a bachelor of arts degree in international relations from the University of South Florida.

Clayton Mayor Nickolaus Smith, incoming DLLG president, said, “The Delaware league is very excited to have Dr. Spence as the new executive director. He comes in with a new vigor and enthusiasm to serve the league. We feel his abilities will help strengthen the relationships between the league and the municipalities we serve.”

For more information, go to dllg.us or email executivedirector@dllg.us.