Leanora Colley

Leanora Colley serves as executive pastor for the past 30 years and as a life coach for about 35 years. She earned her doctorate in leadership, mentoring, and coaching in 2024 after beginning with informal counseling and mentoring that evolved into formal work with colleagues, congregants, and others. Colley is passionate about empowering people, especially women, which led her to establish a food pantry in partnership with city government and the Department of Health to address food insecurity. She recently launched a Freedom School focused on literacy, leadership, and civic awareness for black and brown youth, and founded the Covenant Development Corporation to provide resources and social services to underserved populations. As an author, she wrote the book How to Change Your Life in 7 Day Cycles along with a companion workbook to provide a blueprint for personal transformation. Colley also directs the Glean Mentorship Institute, where she applies a process beginning with self-awareness to help individuals and groups break negative cycles, discover their passions, and develop their gifts for maximum success. Her approach includes pre-mentoring questionnaires, group techniques, and a focus on honing and owning one's calling to benefit others.