Leslie J. Badger is a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina. She is the daughter of two retired educators and the second eldest of four children. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in General Broadcast and a Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education from Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Va.). She also holds an Educational Specialists Degree in Teacher Leadership from Walden University (Minneapolis, Mn.) Leslie has taught Early Childhood and Elementary Education since 2002, serving grades Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade. She has experience with both the International Baccalaureate and STEM curricula.  

Outside of education Leslie is the CEO of the Native Tongue Company, a lifestyle brand, and Native Tongue Books, a virtual bookstore. In her spare time, Leslie enjoys reading, listening to music, and attempting to garden. She is the mother of one teenage son.