Boardmembers

Leigh Corbell holds both a BA and MA in English Literature with a concentration in folklore, emphasizing the discovery and understanding of human culture through storytelling and lived experiences. Originally from Louisiana and now residing in Chicagoland, she is a former public school educator who taught in some of the country’s most underserved schools, earning Teacher of the Year honors in 2015. Passionate about arts integration in education, she wrote and won multiple grants, including one from the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, which she used to introduce students to African literature, art, and culture—most notably through a study of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. She also founded a spoken word poetry club, providing students with a creative outlet for self-expression.

A lifelong advocate for marginalized voices, she performed in Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues to raise awareness of sexual violence against women and girls in Haiti, supporting a national campaign led by Haitian women activists addressing the issue through art, advocacy, and legal services.

Leigh has worked as an art and activity therapist in psychiatric and addiction clinics, using creativity as a tool for healing. Now, she channels her artistic skills into graphic design, primarily working with women-owned small businesses. Her hobbies include woodworking, refinishing antique furniture, painting, birdwatching, musicals, and embroidery. Above all, Leigh is a lifelong learner, an advocate for the vulnerable and those facing systemic barriers, and a proud mother of three.