Leslie Weldon, 41-Year Veteran of the U.S. Forest Service.

Over her 41-year career with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Leslie Weldon served as Deputy Chief for the National Forest System and a range of senior executive and field-based roles in local, regional, and national Forest Service land management positions in Oregon, Washington State, Montana, and Washington, DC.  Leslie helped shape conservation policy and created the framework for a diverse and inclusive workforce for the USDA Office of the Secretary, prior to retiring from federal service in 2023.   

Leslie began her career with USFS as a teen with the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. Inspired by her YCC experience, she chose conserving nature as her vocation and began her Forest Service career in reforestation, firefighting, and as a fisheries biologist.  Leslie is dedicated to creating possibilities and connecting people to nature and is a consistent and vocal champion of youth conservation and service corps programs. 

Leslie serves on the boards of The Corps Network (chair), Arbor Day Foundation (past chair), Trout Unlimited, Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (incoming chair), and the High Desert Museum.  She lives in Oregon.