Leslie joined Global in 2026 and has led teams responsible for raising over $78 million in support of nonprofit organizations.
Leslie’s path into fundraising started as a volunteer with KidFish, a family founded ice fishing derby dedicated to youth conservation and family values. That’s when Leslie discovered her greatest passion, giving back to her community, and realized that she didn’t just want to just support that kind of work, she wanted to make it her full-time job! She made the leap from a fifteen-year career in sales leadership into the nonprofit sector and was soon leading United Way Winnipeg’s fundraising initiatives as Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Philanthropy. There she led a diversified fundraising portfolio generating $22+ million annually, culminating in a historic $23.3 million city-wide campaign in 2025, spanning hundreds of workplace campaigns, major gifts, individual giving, and corporate partnerships.
Before moving into the nonprofit sector, Leslie spent over a decade building and leading high performing sales teams across Western Canada, consistently outperforming targets and building strategic partnerships. Leslie channeled that commercial discipline, pipeline rigor and relationship-based selling directly into fundraising; building moves-management systems, donor cultivation, diversified revenue streams, and growing major donor and corporate sponsorship programs. She is equally at home talking about Fund Development, CRM strategy or Campaign Management as she is at the negotiating table with a CEO or Executive Director.
Leslie is a citizen of the Red River Métis Nation, with mixed Ukrainian and Dutch ancestry, and serves as Co-Chair, Professional Development on the Manitoba Board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She remains closely connected to where her career began, continuing her work with KidFish, which has raised over $500K for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba and CancerCare Manitoba.
Whether diagnosing a stalled revenue stream, building a corporate partnership strategy, or coaching a team through a difficult season of change, Leslie brings a practical, relationship-first approach and a track record that speaks for itself.
Fun fact: Leslie has a passion for Entrepreneurship and has competed in business case competitions in Sao Paulo, Brazil.