Born in 1952 and raised in Fort Providence, Northwest Territories, McLeod holds a BComm from the University of Alberta and an honours diploma in administrative management from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

He also completed a program of national and international studies at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario.

He has been a federal civil servant and served in the Northwest Territories public service.

After the election McLeod was appointed to the cabinet with the portfolios of Human Resources, Industry, Tourism and Investment, Public Utilities Board and Energy Initiatives.

McLeod ran for re-election in the 2011 Northwest Territories general election and he was returned by acclamation to his second term.