After receiving her bachelor’s degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology from Stanford University, Leslie began a career as a professional mariner, diver and outdoor educator. She spent seven years working for non profits such as Outward Bound, Sea Education Association and the Los Angeles Maritime Institute, sailing along both coasts of the United States, the Caribbean islands, Mediterranean Sea and twice across the Atlantic. She also spent 1½ years on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hydrographic research vessel RAINIER, where she worked as a Seaman Surveyor throughout Southeast Alaska and down the Aleutian Island chain. Leslie is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara, with a specialization in Coastal Marine Resource Management. While at UCSB, Leslie interns with the NOAA Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, where she works to protect large cetaceans from fatal ship strikes in Santa Barbara channel. She is interested in the interactions between society and marine environments and believes in the potential of ecosystem-based management and cooperative fisheries. She hopes to continue her work in resource protection with NOAA Sanctuaries after graduation.