Leigh joined the organization as the Rebrand Coordinator in 2017 and became the Director of Communications and Education in 2018 and was named Chief Communications Officer in 2021. She has over 25 years of experience working with nonprofits in the Washington, D.C. area. Earlier in her career, she worked in public affairs for the American Academy of Pediatrics and as a communications consultant for the Association of Community Cancer Centers. More recently, Leigh worked in communications and marketing for EveryMind (formerly the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County) and Warrior Canine Connection where she developed a deep understanding of the complexities of mental health issues and the importance of dedicated community support programs.

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Leigh’s experience with caregiving, serious illness and grief brings rich layers of knowledge to her work at CaringMatters in communications and education. After years as a full-time caregiver for a child with cancer, she has a deep understanding of the unique challenges, both practical and emotional, facing families dealing with serious illness. Her personal experience with loss and grief allows her to speak with a genuine voice about the positive impact of CaringMatters support services.

 

“Receiving the diagnosis of a serious illness, suffering a sudden loss or searching for a path forward while grieving, turns the foundation of one’s life from rock to sand,” according to Leigh. “The sands shift constantly and it’s so hard to find balance, but a helping hand or a sympathetic companion can provide a welcome anchor. My goal is to help the community understand that they can find that anchor here at CaringMatters – through our volunteers, our services and our educational programs.”

 

Leigh holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Arts in Public Communications from The American University. She is a member of the Leadership Montgomery CORE Class of 2023. Leigh is trained in Mental Health First Aid and completed Montgomery College’s Nonprofit Leadership Boot Camp course.

 

View a video of Leigh speaking on a May 2019 Atlantic Live panel about her caregiving journey through pediatric clinical trials with her son, Joshua, and her current work at CaringMatters at https://youtu.be/SmM5YJtDPic.

 

Contact Leigh at leighb@caringmatters.org, 301-869-4673, ext. 103 or 301-990-7927 (direct).