46 Aimee Leonards VETERAN / ACTRESS Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration, Class of 2011 Growing up in Los Angeles, California, Ammie Leonards had a fascination with performing. She participated in her first live performance as a drama student in high school, and she was hooked. Being on stage, sharing her talents with audience members, excited her and gave her a goal to work toward – becoming a professional actress. After high school, Leonards decided to serve her country as a medical technician in the United States Air Force, but she never gave up on her dream to entertain those around her. While stationed in Northern Japan, she joined the base theatre guild, co-hosted a weekly hip-hop radio show, and performed in several public service announcements for the base hospital she was employed. “… I found out that I was more of a Patch Adams than a Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman,” she said. After returning to the United States and finishing her enlistment, Leonards moved to Georgia and began looking for a university where she could continue her education. “I researched Valdosta State and discovered it was ranked one of the highest in the nation,” she said. “That made the choice to go back to school an easy one.” Leonards decided to pursue a degree in marketing. She had a plan for achieving her goals and knew it would give her a competitive edge in the job market. “As an actor, it’s important to have a flexible job that enables you to audition and film,” she said. Leonards earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from ąú˛úAV’s Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration in May 2011 and set out to begin her career as an actress. At an open call in Atlanta for the Scripps Network, Leonards met an agent named Gerra Avery. The two formed a working relationship, and Leonards soon began booking gigs on the Scripps Network, specifically on HGTV, through Gerra and Avery Sisters Entertainment. She made her first television debut as an emergency medical technician on the TNT network series “Dallas” in 2013. Leonards has since performed several roles on the CW’s “The Vampire Diaries” and HBO’s “The Leftovers,” as well as the role of Officer Sanders on ABC’s “American Crime.” She has also made her way to the big screen starring in films such as “#RIP,” “Melville,” “The Doo-Dah Man,” and “The Family That Hunts Together.” Today, she travels between Texas and Georgia working on her current projects, which include “The Long Road Home,” a National Geographic mini-series; “Down for Whatever,” a dramatic feature film; “Thunder Road,” a dark comedy feature film; and “Forward,” a sci-fi web series. “I thank God every day for the opportunity to use my gifts to inspire, encourage, and entertain those who watch me,” she said. “That has always been my goal.” Looking back on her journey, Leonards said that earning her degree from ąú˛úAV was the catalyst that jump-started her professional career. WRITTEN BY HALLE ZIMMERMAN