In 2020, Leslie earned her B.A. in Elementary Education while also receiving a K-8 teaching certificate from the University of Washington. She has experience teaching first and second grade in Washington State public schools, and homeschooled first and fourth-grade students in California. Witnessing firsthand the effects that systemic inequalities have on students’ learning, Leslie decided to pursue a Master's Degree, which led her to Teachers College, Columbia University where she graduated in 2023 with an M.A. in Education Policy and Social Analysis, specializing in K-12 Policy and Education Law. While attending graduate school, Leslie worked on curriculum development for the Reading and Writing Project at Teachers College. She also gained valuable policy experience as an Education Leadership Data Analytics Affiliate where she was on a research team that analyzed school district equity policies to find patterns of strengths and areas of improvement. This research provided K-12 district officials with data used to inform decisions that promote greater equity and inclusivity, particularly for the most underrepresented students. Since completing graduate school, Leslie has taught at a public school in New York City that serves students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade. She is passionate about creating safe and inclusive learning environments that guide students to take risks, through social-emotional learning and by incorporating students’ experiences and perspectives within the classroom and curriculum. With an open mind, Leslie is thrilled to immerse herself in Greek culture, eager to learn from the students, educators, and community members of HAEF and the greater Athens area, all while doing what she loves — teaching. She ultimately plans to apply her Fulbright experiences to influence her future teaching practices and policy initiatives.