Meet Leslie — the Vice President of Financial Planning for T-Mobile and Bellevue LifeSpring’s Incoming President and Chair of the Board. Leslie joined the Bellevue LifeSpring Board of Directors in 2020 and brought her valuable perspective, financial expertise, and leadership skills with her.
Read along as Leslie shares why the Bellevue LifeSpring mission is meaningful to her and why she values giving back to the Bellevue community.
What drew you to Bellevue LifeSpring?
“Before joining the board, I was looking for an organization to support that was focused on community development. I was also interested in finding an impactful way to support children in the community where I work. My colleague, Dave Mayo, a board member at the time, told me about Bellevue LifeSpring and invited me to join the board. I’m passionate about giving kids an equal footing to succeed, so the Bellevue LifeSpring mission was a great fit for me. Bellevue LifeSpring’s longevity serving the Bellevue community is incredibly impressive and something I knew I wanted to be a part of.”
What is your favorite part of being a Bellevue LifeSpring board member?
“My favorite part is learning about how many children and families we support here in Bellevue. Being a part of an impactful and effective organization motivates me to continue giving back.
“I appreciate the passion across the board, staff, and volunteers. Many talented people give their time and energy, and I see that paying off in what the organization is able to accomplish.”
Why is it important for you to give where you live, or in your case, give where you work?
“I’ve worked in Bellevue for 22 years, so I spend much of my time in the Bellevue community. T-Mobile is a big employer in the Bellevue area, so many of my colleagues live here and have kids attending the Bellevue School District.
“Even though I live next door in Seattle, I feel a part of the community. I’m extremely privileged to have a job I enjoy and a great family. It’s important for me to give back to the community that gives me so much. I’m grateful to have a role within Bellevue LifeSpring that gives me the opportunity to make an impact on the lives of local children.”
What motivated you to decide to take on the role of the Incoming President and Chair of the Board?
“In anything I do, I tend to jump in with both feet. If I’m going to be involved in an organization, I want to contribute and be an active member, participating in any capacity that the organization needs me.
“When I first became a board member, I quickly gravitated toward the Budget and Finance Committee since that’s my background. It was a great fit for me in terms of getting introduced to the organization. Then I moved into the Treasurer role, also a natural fit for me given my professional experience. I’m excited to have the opportunity to step in as President and Chair next term. Stepping into this role feels like a natural progression. It’s a large position, but I’m certainly excited to lead the organization to the best of my abilities.”
What does community mean to you?
“Community is not defined by geography but rather by the people we run into on a day-to-day basis. To me, community means engaging with and supporting one another.”
We are grateful to have Leslie on our board and look forward to her future and continued leadership. Check out her bio below!
Leslie is the Senior Finance Leader responsible for managing budgets of $6B annual operating costs and $6B annual capital investment for Engineering and IT. Operations include a nationwide cellular network covering 300+M pops and an IT organization covering a complex, high-tech/high-growth industry. She acts as a financial advisor to C-Level leadership and partners with key budget owners to provide analytics and recommendations on how to drive down costs/achieve targets. She oversees a staff of 40, supporting a dynamic resource base including 8,000 technology employees. Prior to joining T-Mobile in 2001, Leslie served as the Director of Small Business Programs for the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
