Leah Bieniak
Program Associate
Born and raised an hour west of Chicago, Illinois, I am a lifelong Midwesterner with a love for the ecosystems that make up this region. I graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Biology. During my time at IWU, I got to study Leopold’s land ethic, further my passion for ecology and conservation, and develop a better understanding of environmental justice and sociology. After graduating, I worked as the Conservation Education Representative at Illinois Beach State Park. I was lucky enough to be a 2022-23 Education and Communication Fellow in the Future Leaders Program here at the foundation, and I am excited to continue my time in the Leopold community as a Program Associate with a focus on virtual events, introducing the new self-guided Shack tour, and increasing understanding and implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
In my free time, I love spending time with family, dancing, geeking out about books and movies, and discovering new trails for birding or hiking.