Sherman P. Lea, Sr.

Term of Office

  • July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2008
  • Vice-Mayor, July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2010
  • July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2012
  • July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2016
  • Mayor, July 1, 2016 - December 31, 2020
  • Mayor, January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2024

Professional Background

  • Leadership Management Consultant, Founder, President, SPLEA and Associates, LLC
  • Retired, Virginia Department of Corrections

Educational Background

  • B. A., Sociology, Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia
  • Attended, Old Dominion University, Graduate School of Urban Studies, Norfolk, Virginia
  • Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters for Humanitarian Work in the Community, Bethlehem Bible College

Council Assignments

  • Ex-officio on all Committees
  • Member, Personnel Committee
  • Member, Legislative Committee
  • Council representative to the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center Commission
  • Board Member, National Civic League Board of Directors
  • Elected Official representative, Virginia Municipal League, Legislative Committee

Civic & Volunteer Activities

  • Associate Minister, Garden of Prayer No. 7
  • Appointed to the Virginia Parole Board by Governor Terry McAuliffe in April 2014
  • Recipient, 2010 William L. Hastie Award, National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ)
  • Former Chair, Roanoke City School Board
  • Former Chair, Board of Directors, Total Action for Progress (TAP)
  • Founder and Chair of the Annual Western Virginia Education Classic Football Game
  • Chair, State Board of Directors, Virginia CARES, Inc.
  • Member, National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ)
  • Former, Virginia High School League Football/Basketball Official
  • Former, College Football Official (ACC, ODAC, CIAA)
  • 2000, 2014 Citizen of the Year, Gamma Alpha Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
  • Featured in the August 2018 edition of The Roanoker Magazine as a Platinum Star of the City of Roanoke
  • Participant, 2018 Aspiring Superintendents Program Panel 
  • Recognizes all are bound together by common humanity
  • Rejects any environment in which hatred breeds fear and rationalizes senseless attacks on individuals solely on race, religion, ethnicity and sexual orientation 

Media Appearances