Talent Citizen congratulates Leslie Anselme on her appointment as the inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging (DEIB) for Development & Alumni Relations (DAR) at Boston University, effective April 29, 2024. As part of the DAR Talent Management team, Leslie will work in partnership with Associate Vice President of Advancement Resources and Strategic Talent Management Amy Bronson to lead the strategic integration of a DEIB framework into DAR’s programs, people processes, and organizational change management. Leslie’s efforts in DAR will encourage staff engagement in DEIB initiatives and ensure a more diverse and inclusive workplace while advancing BU’s mission and goals.
Leslie’s career has spanned communications, advocacy, programming, and human resources for both corporate and nonprofit organizations. These experiences, including accomplishments in two inaugural DEIB roles, position Leslie to partner with DAR senior leaders and staff members to identify and enact opportunities for synergistic DEIB initiatives, strategies, and policies for all levels of the department composed of more than 265 professionals. Previously, Leslie served as the inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Racial Justice (DEIRJ) with Girls Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEMA). In that role, Leslie spearheaded the DEI strategy for the organization, including thematic monthly programming for staff, strategic communications, and recommendations for HR policies and practices. Before joining GSEMA, Leslie worked at EF Education First, where she progressed through HR roles to become the inaugural Program Manager of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging for the company’s multinational staff. Previously, Leslie led sales, operations, and communications at the Boston location of T2, a global tea shop, and she started her career at the Shirley Chisholm Project for Brooklyn Women’s Activism.
Known for her warm personality, restorative and learning approach, and her strengths as a strategic and creative DEIB leader, Leslie is well suited for this inaugural position. An active volunteer leader, Leslie is a member of the Boston Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the largest Black sorority dedicated to social action and community service, and she is a member of the YW DEI Community of Practice, a group dedicated to women’s empowerment and social justice. Leslie is also a trained facilitator for #IAmRemarkable as part of the global movement that empowers underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond.
Leslie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s and Gender Studies from Brooklyn College and a master’s degree in Human Resource Analytics and Management from American University. She is a certified coach for Gallup Clifton Strengths and has received DEI certificates from Cornell University and the University of South Florida.
Talent Citizen President Tracy Welsh, Managing Associate Rachel K. Partin, and Associate José Cisneros led this search.