Strategist | Leader Trusted Advisor
A nationally recognized strategic advisor, Leslie has provided targeted solutions for high-profile, high-stakes challenges at the intersection of policy, politics, and philanthropy. She currently amplifies the impact of family foundations, organizations, and individuals as Counsel and Managing Director for Americas East at Forward Global (formerly The Philanthropy Workshop). She served as President Obama’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security during Hurricane Sandy, the Boston Marathon Bombing, and the Syrian refugee crisis. As a member of the Secretary’s Senior Leadership Group, she advised on some of the most sensitive and complex challenges facing the country, including immigration, foreign commercial investment, critical infrastructure, international information sharing, and pandemic preparedness.
An expert in Congressional oversight, good governance, and systems change, her global anti-corruption work in the U.S. Senate was profiled in Jim Risen’s account of corruption during the Iraq War, “Pay Any Price.” With experience as a trusted advisor across multiple disciplines, Leslie has a real-world understanding of how high-visibility executives, government officials, and grassroots advocates think and work. She has advised globally on trends leading to the rise in authoritarianism and the role of disinformation in those efforts.
The Work
A complex portfolio of experience in public policy, security, human rights, and systems change has created a high-profile legacy of accomplishment across government, with NGOs, and in the private sector. That work has been featured in published works such as “Halliburton’s Army” and NY Times reporter Jim Risen’s account of corruption during the Iraq War, “Pay Any Price.” It builds on experience from leading and defending Congressional investigations, U.S. Senate confirmations, organizational transition, and social change. It includes preparing principals for the national stage on issues of disaster preparedness, immigration, social equity, and anti-corruption. It’s provided opportunities to showcase a quick mastery of new subject matter and ability to navigate complex organizations.
The Journey
Each experience has been an opportunity to learn, connect, and grow. That ethos has built a professional journey rooted in problem solving, guided by integrity, and sustained through trust relationships. From cabinet officials to global nonprofits and C-Suite executives, there’s been a legacy of providing results-driven strategy with lasting programmatic impact.
The Roles
It includes several roles— as an organization incubator, leader of high-performing teams, creator of original programming, spokesperson, senior executive, and confidential advisor. That leadership has been tested during times of national and global crisis, as a former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Deputy Assistant Secretary, Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Democratic Policy Committee, litigator, and nonprofit executive. The work reflects an insider’s expertise in senior-level executive branch, Congressional, philanthropic, political campaign, C-suite, and social impact decision making.
The Relationships