Her Story
About Leslie
Leslie Leitner serves as Community Engagement Manager at Supportive Housing Communities in Charlotte, North Carolina. In this role on the development team, she manages community and faith-based giving, volunteer programs, and marketing efforts while assisting with three annual fundraising events including Neighbor of the Year, Brewer's Ball, and Chefs of Charlotte. She also acts as staff liaison for the organization's Young Professionals Board. Leitner brings five to six years of nonprofit experience to her work and holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal and Vet Sciences from Clemson University, where she graduated in May 2021, along with a certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Texas. She serves on the Board of Managers for Salcahatchee, a South Carolina United Methodist Conference organization focused on critical home repairs, where she has volunteered since a young age. During the COVID period she also volunteered with Meals on Wheels in Anderson County. Leitner attributes her success to the support of her parents, partner, friends in Charlotte, and work teammates, and she values caring deeply for those around her while advising others in the field to prioritize self-care amid the challenges of uncertain government funding and a shifting fundraising climate.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Leslie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute a lot of it probably to my parents and how they've been able to support me and my support system that I have here like through my partner through my friends here in Charlotte through my teammates at work. I would say that probably one of the biggest reasons for me and any success that I have found is the support system that I have behind me either pushing me or helping me or just listening to me.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Just hang in there. I look back at that one a lot. You know no two days are the same and just hang in there and today might suck but tomorrow will be better. And sometimes you have to close the computer on one day so that the next day can be better.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
To take care of themselves that the nonprofit field can burn you out. But to make sure that you have a good support system who can help you refill your cup. And so yeah I'd like to take care of yourself so that you can help take care of others.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Right now the fundraising climate is a little bit of a difficult climate that we have found ourselves in. And so I would say that that is probably the biggest challenge that we have found just with the uncertainty regarding our government funds. We're leaning more heavily on the private sector so while my team is working to ease our reliance on government funds and grow our private sector funds that's probably the biggest challenge because there's a lot of uncertainty around the economy.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I think caring is probably one of the biggest values just make sure that everyone who I work with knows that I care about them and those in my life know that they could count on me to help them with any task that they need.
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