A Registered Nurse since 1984, and Licensed Massage Therapist since 1991, Leslie initially developed and directed her programs at the Oregon School of Massage in Portland, Oregon. 
She has taught her MotherTouch classes there bi-annually since then, while expanding her courses across the country and to Indonesia. She is the author of Nurturing Massage for Pregnancy: A Practical Guide to Bodywork for the Perinatal Cycle (2009 Lippincott), instructor on the DVD, Mastering Pregnancy Massage (2006) and co- producer of the films MotherTouch: Nurturing Touch for Birth, and Touch Techniques for Birth (2008).
Leslie is an NCBTMB and Florida Broker CE Provider.
A world traveler with a BA in Anthropology Leslie has offered her services as massage therapist and nurse to birthing women in Uganda and the Alaskan bush, has met with traditional indigenous midwives worldwide, has been a volunteer doula for single mothers, a hospice massage therapist, and has taught infant massage to parents of premature babies at Oregon Health Sciences University.
Leslie believes the best bodywork arises from advanced technical skill blended with deep listening to body wisdom, intelligent and compassionate responsiveness, and attention to body-mind-spirit. Healing comes when we enter “body time”, vs clock time and when we remember that there is more to healing than just relieving physical pain. Leslie's classes are comprehensive and holistic, taught with awareness, gratitude, and respect for the profound rite of passage of pregnancy, birth, and mothering.
When not focused on supporting birthing, Leslie is gardening, swimming, hiking, painting, writing, or enjoying the sensory delights of being in a human body on planet earth!
