Elder Solomon D. Leach was born in Philadelphia, PA to St. James A. Leach and Sister Elder Diana Wilson. At the age of 7, he relocated with his mother to Anchorage, AK, where he first got involved in the service of the Lord in the Anchorage mission, which subsequently became a tabernacle. As a young teen, he was appointed as the local Young People’s Improvement League (YPIL) coordinator by Elder Josiah Wilson, who took Bro. Leach under his wing and served as a mentor.
Bro. Leach attended Anchorage public schools and graduated from West Anchorage High School in 2000 before attending the University of Alaska Anchorage. In 2002, he returned to Philadelphia and completed his bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism at Temple University. As a member of First Tabernacle Philadelphia, he sang in the choir and as a member of Daniels’ Children. He was also involved with the Department of Religious Education, serving as Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent. In 2004, he was appointed a Deacon by Evangelist Joseph R. Turner. During the 2005 Assembly, Chief Executive Rabbi Jehu A. Crowdy Jr., Grand Father Abraham, appointed 22-year-old Deacon Leach to the ministry while he was preaching, making him the youngest elder in the pulpit at the time.
Elder Leach received his first pastoral charge in 2014, when he was named the local pastor in Seventh Tabernacle Albany, N.Y. He is currently the local pastor of Fifth Tabernacle Atlantic City, N.J., where he has served since August of 2016.
Professionally, Elder Leach began his career as a journalist with the Delaware County Daily Times, where he was among a team of reporters who received the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors’ Award for reporting in a business series. He later went on to write for Metro Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Daily News, before becoming the Director of Research and Communications for Councilwoman Cherelle Parker in the City Council of Philadelphia. In this capacity, he is responsible for developing and implementing media strategy, writing speeches, serving as a spokesperson and managing Councilwoman Parker’s online presence.
Elder Leach is a devoted family man. He and his wife, Articecia, live in Philadelphia with their three young sons, Micah, Thomas and Noah. During his leisure, Elder Leach enjoys watching sports, reading, listening to music and cheering on his favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys.