Our Founder
Meet Leah alexander-leeks (Berdysz)
Leah, MSSA, LISW, is dedicated to empowering and educating young people by promoting the discovery of social, mental, and physical well-being.
After earning her B.A. in Exercise Science and Entrepreneurship from John Carroll University, Leah founded Empowered & Poised in 2017. Motivated by her passion for helping youth, Leah returned to school and earned a Master of Science in Social Administration (equivalent to a Master of Social Work) from Case Western Reserve University, with a focus on children, youth, families, and school social work.
Through the Empowered & Poised initiative, she has developed programming and partnered with over 40 schools and community-based organizations to offer Empowered & Poised-based initiatives, positively impacting more than 1,500 students.
Leah published her first book, Conscious Empowerment: A Guide to Helping Girls Build Self-esteem & Confidence in June 2021. In 2022, she shared her TEDX talk on How to Empower Youth. In the fall of 2023, she launched the Empowered & Poised Life Skills Curriculum.
Leah now proudly serves as both a School Social Worker and Clinical Therapist, and has been featured in 40+ media outlets, further spreading the message of her work.
Videos
Leah discusses the mission of Empowered & Poised.
Leah announces the campaign for her book, Conscious Empowerment: A Guide to Helping Girls Build Self-Esteem & Confidence.
She was a featured speaker during the Dare to Dream Retreat at John Carroll University in 2018.
WRITING
Leah is an accomplished writer and author of the book Conscious Empowerment: A Guide to Helping Girls Build Self-Esteem & Confidence, published by New Degree Press.
In addition to her book, Leah has written for Your Teen For Parents Magazine and has been interviewed by dozens of podcasts and publications.
“How to Build Self-Esteem In Girls: 5 Ways to Help Them Love Themselves”
Your Teen for Parents Magazine
“5 Ways to Help Children Boost Their Self-Esteem & Confidence”
Whole Child Counseling
GET IN TOUCH
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Are you curious to know more about our Life Skills Curriculum, the mission of Empowered & Poised, or to book our founder for a speaking engagement? Whatever your question, we’d love to hear from you!