Leslie Rios

Leslie Rios

  • Lewis Katz School of Medicine

    • The Hope Center for College, Community and Justice

      • Policy Associate

Pronouns: She/Her

Leslie is a Policy Associate for the Policy and Advocacy Team at the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. Prior to joining the Hope Center, Leslie served as a fellow for the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship, a selective national leadership development program addressing the complex causes and solutions to hunger and poverty in the U.S. through field and policy work. Leslie completed her policy work at the Hope Center, where she helped lead a project on student barriers in accessing SNAP, TANF, and the CCDF. Leslie graduated from St. Edward’s University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in Economics, becoming a Presidential Award Receipt and a McNair Scholar in the process. As a first-generation college graduate, Leslie understands the importance of mentorship and supporting students in their journey towards post-secondary education and has supported students by interning at a College and Career Center at a local high school and helping lead first-generation student programming on her campus.

Students’ basic needs and voices are at the forefront of policy change, and students are equipped with the resources they need to accomplish their educational goals.

Leslie's Hope