Leslie is a doctoral student in UW-Madison’s Social Welfare Policy Program, exploring the relationship between public transportation and equitable access to life’s basic needs. She offers research support to SSTI and is a Graduate Research Fellow for UW’s Institute for Research on Poverty. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, she most recently served as City of Madison Deputy Mayor of Economic Development, Transportation, and Intergovernmental Affairs. She has extensive experience in strategic management, policy creation, research and data analysis, and public relations–focused on centering equity in systems change. She obtained a BA in psychology and sociology from Mount Holyoke College.