Bio

Leslie is an author of three bestselling books on social innovation, a public speaker and media commentator. Insatiably curious about how change happens, she believes in the power of big ideas to change the world.

Leslie’s passion for building high-impact organizations sparked when she co-founded of a national magazine for social entrepreneurs. She went on to lead venture philanthropy grantmaking and fellowships in the US & Canda at Ashoka. For over a decade, she served as senior advisor at FSG, the global social impact consulting firm.

An educator at Georgetown University, Leslie scaled up Business for Impact, a center of excellence on corporate purpose and social impact, to a team of 20+ delivering innovative executive education programs for nonprofit and small business leaders with support from purpose-forward brands including Bank of America, CVS Health, JPMorganChase, Nestle, PNC Banks, Target, Thrivent and dozens more. Leslie also teaches graduate courses on CSR and Nonprofit Leadership in the business school. The most important lesson: There’s more one bottom line in business - and in life.

Leslie actively advises donors and doers on organizational and philanthropic strategy, visionary leadership, and movement-building. She has influenced more than $1.2B in catalytic philanthropy investments.

When at home in the Washington, D.C. region, she may be found trying to convince her family to play boardgames (usually with limited success),