Leigh is a Junior Fellow, Climate and Energy at ORF Middle East. Her research focuses on advancing climate adaptation, urban resilience, finance, diplomacy, and just energy transitions in emerging economies.

Prior to joining ORF ME, she served as a Diplomat with the U.S. Agency for International Development where she helped design and coordinate multimillion dollar programs in clean energy, urban development, and climate resilience. As a former Donald M. Payne Fellow, she led climate and health program integration at USAID/Indonesia. She also consulted for the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation where she identified opportunities for private sector investment in conservation and coastal resilience in the Dominican Republic.

Leigh brings an interdisciplinary background in data analysis, global health, and climate policy, with professional experience across Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and the U.S. She holds a Master of International Affairs in Energy and Environment from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in Global Public Health and Mathematical Statistics from the University of Virginia.