Leland is the Artistic Development Manager for Merrigong Theatre Company. He has over twenty-five years professional experience as a Director, Producer, Designer, Dramaturg, Curator and Arts Manager. Prior to joining Merrigong in 2015, Leland was the Artistic Director of the Tamarama Rock Surfers Theatre Company. During his decade long tenure with the Rock Surfers he programmed and produced over 100 new Australian works and established both the Old Fitzroy and Bondi Pavilion Theatres. Since graduating from the NIDA director’s course in 1997, his career has been committed to the development and production of new Australian work and artists. He has directed and produced premieres and productions of the work of many of Australia’s most prominent writers including Suzie Miller, Sue Smith, Alana Valentine, Kay Proudlove, Brendan Cowell, Toby Schmitz, Aiden Fennessey, Tim Minchin, Travis Cotton, Stephen Carlton, John AD Fraser, David Williamson, Tim Baker, Lachlan Philpott and Drew Fairley. For Merrigong he has directed productions of Lost Boys, The Surfer and the Mermaid, Dear Diary, As Luck Would Have and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He produced the national tour of Letters to Lindy in 2018 and has driven the development of Merrigong Strangeways Ensemble and Merrigong’s artist development program MerrigongX.