About Leslie

Leslie is the proud founder of Journeys of the Heart Wellness Adventures & Retreats – a company intent on inspiring people to travel with all their heart.

Two months after Leslie’s mother passed away, her father dropped her off, alone on a plane, flying 1,400 miles from home. Her only identification was a hand-written phone number on a scrap of paper that her father had pinned to the lapel of her tiny jacket. She was 6 years old.

Leslie was terrified, confused, and overwhelmed. "I remember being terrified. But then the flight crew gathered around me, surrounding me with care and safety and, dare I say, fun! They gave me a toy airplane, food, and a coloring book. They encouraged me to be brave and smiled at me. Suddenly, I sensed I was on a great adventure! I was hooked!" Leslie’s bags have been packed ever since!

Leslie spent the next several years traveling around the world with friends and family; a summer in Scotland, a stay in British Columbia, and finally at 10-years-old Leslie moved to the beautiful small town of Ajijic in the State of Jalisco Mexico. It was there where Leslie learned the power learning languages, culture & diversity, resilience, and confidence. Most of Leslie’s travel muscles were developed in these early years and continue to serve her and her clients today.

Upon returning to the United States Leslie finished high school and spent her college years studying hospitality; completing her travel and tourism program and going on to lead operations of a wholesale travel firm. Working for some of the most successful travel agencies in Sonoma County California and beyond, Leslie has enjoyed a long career as an accomplished travel advisor before branching out to start up her own travel company – Journeys of the Heart.

In 2020, as the world literally shut down, Leslie was reminded of the overwhelm and confusion she felt as a child… about to board that metaphoric plane, uncertain of what was to come. It was again in this moment of uncertainty that Leslie decided to pack her bags! Yet this time she was inspired to reach out her hands to those wandering souls in need of nourishment and healing to bring them with her; to help her soul-seekers fulfill their bucket list destinations with immersive experiences. In 2021, now emerging from the pandemic, Leslie joined a group of women practicing yoga in a friend’s garage attempting to offset the anxiety and chaos of the times. It was this new appreciation for yoga, self-care, and wellness as a means to healing combined with her existing passion for travel that created the concept for wellness adventures & retreats.

Being raised in another country Leslie brings a bicultural lens to her perspective on the world, travel, and life, believing that “travel should not just be a place you visit but an experience that will live on in you forever.” She currently resides in Healdsburg CA where she and her husband enjoy their blended family of 5 children, 7 grandchildren and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys traversing the planet with her family and friends, skiing, horseback riding and is a dedicated Yogi and a certified Sound Healer.

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