Meet Dr. Leslye

Biography

In 1999, a teenage girl from Compton, California, took her first airplane ride to begin her freshman year at New York University. After three semesters in the Big Apple, homesickness brought her back to California, this time settling in the Bay Area, which became her permanent home. The following two years at SF State involved academic probation, coping with her cousin's tragic death, job loss, and escalating student loan debt. Through perseverance, tutoring, and therapy, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 2005.

Unsure of her career path, she worked an administrative job and volunteered as an HIV test counselor at the University of California, San Francisco. This experience led her to graduate school, although a severe medical emergency delayed her studies. She overcame this setback and earned her Master's degree in 2011. She then taught psychology at various California community colleges and universities. By 2018, she became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with her own practice. In May 2023, she earned a Doctor of Education degree from San Jose State University.

Fun facts

• A Black woman with a passion for community work

• A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

• A two-time gubernatorial appointee (Governor Gavin Newsom and Governor Jerry Brown, Jr.)

Hobbies

• Swimming

• Reading

• Learning new skills

• Ziplining in Costa Rica