Leah has been leading Open Arms since 2013, after more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership positions. An Executive Director since 1999, Leah has worked in the arts, community education, and reproductive and community health care. She began her career out of college as a victim advocate at a battered women’s shelter – an experience that ignited a deep commitment to justice and access to resources for underserved and vulnerable populations. A mother herself at age 17, who had to ask for help, Leah is committed to ensuring that everyone who asks for help is treated with dignity and respect. She has served on a variety of boards of directors and community coalitions, and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Food is Medicine Coalition, as well as the Board of Ford House, a home for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Favorite fruit(s) or veggie(s): Watermelon