Leslie Pont comes to OLLI from the UVA Cancer Center where she served as the Program Manager, Research Administration and Strategic Planning for the last three years. She is currently enrolled in her master’s (M.A. in Organizational Leadership) at Gonzaga University and Leslie aims to use the knowledge from her program to directly benefit OLLI. An area of focus that she feels strongly about is community leadership. One can define a community by the shared attributes of the people in it and/or by the strength of the connections among them.
Leslie asked that we share this
infographic
as a way to capture her belief in leadership in a succinct way. Her goal is to embody these 10 characteristics in her role at OLLI, and she is excited to join us.
For those interested in a little more about her career, Leslie completed an Executive Program at Cornell University in Change Leadership in 2018. Prior to UVA, Leslie lived in the DC area for 21 years. Leslie worked for an association management company serving as the Executive Director to two small nonprofits: American College of Mortgage Attorneys and the Alliance of Hazard Materials Professionals from 2015 to 2017. Prior to, she was at WTS International as a Lifestyle Director for an active adult community.
Leslie has largely worked for nonprofit organizations which also includes: National Institutes of Health as a consultant, Kaiser Permanente as a Senior Account Manager and Wellness Specialist, and seven years at the American College of Cardiology as both a Member Relations Specialist and as a Communications Director.
Another area where Leslie can potentially serve the community of OLLI is in teaching health-related classes. She has been facilitating workshops, classes and community groups, both in-person and online, since 2007. Her passion for well-being stems directly from caretaking for both of her parents – from disability and major health issues to senior living and hospice. She believes that well-being and the tools that one learns are a key to happiness at any age. Of note, Leslie holds certifications in: nutrition, wellness, fitness, yoga and she is a nationally board-certified health and wellness coach.
In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, all forms of movement, spending time with family, attempting to potty-train her toddler, listening to live music and hiking.
