Leslie graduated from Jacksonville University in 1971 with a degree in International Relations and Political Science. She served in the US Department of State as a Consular Affairs Officer for five years before changing careers to be a full time mom. After joining the WAC as Office Assistant in 1995 she took on the role of Executive Director until resigning in 2002. She is currently on the boards of the  WAC, YMCA and her church. She actively supports the Friends of Virginia Beach Mounted Patrol and Diamonds in the Rough, a horse rescue nonprofit. She has been married for 50 years to Bob Fort, a retired corporate vice president with Norfolk Southern. They have two daughters, two grandchildren and three grand dogs.