Leslie is a passionate educator who is motivated by the belief that all children can be successful learners. With an MFA from UCLA, she began her career as a university acting teacher. She holds a California Clear Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from CA State University at Long Beach, with special training in Guided Language Acquisition and Development, Writer’s Workshop, and Reading Recovery. She has been teaching Kindergarten through 8th grades since 1998, helping students of all abilities to thrive. Leslie also enjoyed serving as a mentor to new teachers. 

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Having just retired from twenty years in the classroom, she looks forward to working one-on-one with kids, where her time and talent can have the most impact. She knows the stresses adolescents experience in the classroom every day, from painful workloads to difficulty of reading dense text for information. An enthusiastic teacher who makes learning exciting and enjoyable, she is able to listen, to empathize, and to give constructive feedback to struggling students.

 

In addition to classroom teaching, Leslie has planned fundraising events and organized field operations for state ballot initiatives. She is an Honorary Service Award recipient for California PTA. Her planning acumen has served her well in her career and she relishes the opportunity to share it with others.

 

Leslie makes her home in Huntington Beach with her husband, their daughter – now a senior in highschool – and their dog Carlton.