Leslie was appointed PDP's executive director in May 2001 and is responsible for managing the overall activities of the organization, including resource development, strategic planning, new product development and oversight of PDP's microenterprise programs and initiatives. Under her leadership, PDP has grown significantly, more than doubling client participation in its lending and training programs, disbursing over $130,000 in loans to entrepreneurs and raising more than $2 million to support PDP's operations and increase its loan fund. Prior to her current position, Leslie spent eight years as PDP's Program Director and Loan Fund Manager, where she was instrumental in the development and launch of the loan fund and the establishment of PDP's CDFI. She also spent several years in New York as a commercial loan officer at a major international bank, but her desire to help people in neighborhoods drew her back to her hometown of Philadelphia and to PDP. Complementing her professional work, Leslie chairs the Small Business Lending Task Force of the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition's Community and Economic Development Committee, is an executive committee member of the Pennsylvania Microenterprise Coalition, a board member of Rebuilding Together, a volunteer housing rehabilitation organization, and board treasurer of Mt. Airy USA, a local community development corporation. Leslie is a graduate of the University of Vermont and the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania.