The Rev. Lesley-Ann Drake is a deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. She began working full-time for Path To Shine® in January 2011. Lesley-Ann worked for American Express Travel for 19 years in a variety of management positions. During that time she was very involved with the Georgia Meeting Planning Trade Association. She was on the Board of Directors for three years, she co-chaired their annual fundraiser which benefits the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and she received the 1996 Hayward C. Cox Award for her contributions to the organization. Lesley-Ann's extensive personal, professional, and ministry-related contacts enabled her to start Path To Shine® in 2010, relying on donations of time, space, and goods. In 2011 she worked with a colleague to start Path To Shine® in Macon, and 2012 saw the beginning of Path To Shine® at San Benedicto Episcopal Church, which was at the time located in Smyrna, Georgia. Thanks to a grant from the Betty and Davis Fitzgerald Foundation, Lesley-Ann completed the LEAD program where she learned additional skills to successfully lead a non-profit organization. Ordained a permanent deacon in the Episcopal Church in 2011, Lesley-Ann is currently assigned to St. Patrick's in Dunwoody. She is an Associate at Green Bough House of Prayer. She is married and has 2 daughters. Lesley-Ann looks forward to sharing this effective and adaptable model for Path To Shine® with others, thus spreading the opportunities of inspiring more children to achieve hope-filled dreams.
On March 10, 2020 our Executive Director, Deacon Lesley-Ann Drake received the Nikki J. Randall Servant Leadership Award from the Georgia Women's Legislative Caucus, a bipartisan group of women legislators. Lesley-Ann was honored for her work with Path To Shine®.The award was presented by Senator Sally Harrell at the Georgia State Capitol. Each member of the Georgia Women's Legislative Caucus selects one female from their district. Lesley-Ann was nominated by Dunwoody Mayor, Lynn Deutsch.
View Lesley-Ann's video testimony here.