Spotlight: Kent Lesesne

Kent is SCAC’s Director of Governmental Affairs and has been with the Association for 14 years. He leads a team that advocates for legislation on behalf of the 46 counties before the S.C. General Assembly. In this role, Kent oversees SCAC’s Friday Reports and Legislative Alerts as well as the Association’s legal publications. The Association’s legal team also provides legal support to county attorneys, training to counties as requested, and an annual continuing legal education program for county attorneys.

When asked what he enjoys most about his job, Kent says, “I enjoy advocating for local legislation, as county government is the government closest to the citizens of this state and is in the best position to address their needs and concerns. As such, I see my role as pivotal in educating the General Assembly on the impact of bills on local government, where most of the legislation will ultimately be carried out. As county officials are involved with their day-to-day county issues and are therefore unable to be in Columbia every day during the legislative session, my role is to keep them informed on developing legislation in as close to real time as possible.”

Kent’s colleagues describe him as supportive, compassionate, and a loyal team member. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with his wife, listening to music, singing in his church, and community service. He is a huge sports fanatic. His favorite quote comes from the bible in Philippians 4:13, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”