Leslie obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Clarkson College, Omaha, Nebraska, in 1996. She worked as a medical-surgical nurse at Methodist Hospitals of Dallas and Texas Oncology Physicians Association for four years, and then became a Medicare Nurse Coordinator & Compliance Auditor at Mutual of Omaha. Leslie obtained her Masters of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from The University Nebraska Medical Center in 2006. She is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners as a Family Nurse Practitioner.