About Me

Kristine Leslie (She/They) is a multiply neurodivergent social practice artist and creative wellnesspreneur who offers support in creative capacity building to communities and organizations as Chief Transformation Officer of Integrative Arts and Well-being through her consultancy, Consult with Kristine (NJ Certified Small M/WBE). 

She received an A.S. in Liberal Science-Deaf Studies (moderately fluent in American Sign Language (ASL)) from Union County College as a NJSTARS Scholar and later earned a B.A. in Sociology/English-Writing from Kean University (Magna Cum Laude with membership in 5 collegiate honors societies), where she spearheaded the creation of Afro-Latinx Dance Project and directed WOMANITY Union, a franchise location of her Bachata and Heels training under Maria Ramos (Harlem, NY).

While attending Kean University in 2018, Kristine was introduced to Carolyn Dorfman Dance as a NJ SummerDance scholarship student and joined the Marketing team as Communications and Development Associate in 2022. Before joining Carolyn Dorfman Dance, Kristine worked as a teacher, particularly with Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing students with and adults with multiple disabilities in local public school districts, not-for-profit community organizations, and private institutions. She completed internships with Nimbus Dance as Marketing Coordinator and ARTS By The People as an apprentice Grant Writer. Her professional trajectory and lived reality as a spoonie with non-apparent disabilities further led her to work as Community Building Associate at The National Consortium for Creative Placemaking and Equity and Access/ADA Coordinator for each workplace thereafter. She is certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid and trained in Radical Mental Health First Aide.

Kristine has always had a passion for the arts, and has been involved in various forms of artmaking through multiple mediums since childhood. As an adult and overall, her assorted yet comprehensive experiences have given her a unique perspective and skillset that she brings to her work in the non-profit arts sector and beyond, including being Administration and Communications Director at AbunDance Legacy of Dance (fka Rahway Dance Theatre) and a Care Policy Advocate with New Jersey Citizen Action. Some of her professional affiliations are The Osgood Group (Research Fellow), Strike For Our Rights (Guest Board Member), Freelancers Union, The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey (DEI/ADA Advisory Committee), Dance New Jersey (ADA Advisory Committee), Non-Profit Professionals of Color Collective, New Jersey Arts and Culture Administrators of Color (NJACAC), The Network for Arts Administrators of Color (NAACBoston), and the Psychedelic Alliance of Healing Justice. 

Guiding Principles

• Rest as Reparations/Resistance: A concept pioneered by artist and activist Tricia Hersey, The Nap Bishop, recognizes the importance of rest and self-care as acts of defiance against oppressive systems that prioritize constant work and productivity. 

• Pleasure Activism: A concept developed by writer and activist adrienne maree brown, posits that reclaiming pleasure and joy are forms of resistance against forces that seek to control and repress our bodies and desires. 

• Kincentric Eco-Womanism: Concept by Kristine N. Leslie. Centers Black & Indigenous women in environmental & earth justice; Draws on Womanism, Ecowomanism (environmental justice for WoC & spiritual connection to nature - ecowisdom), Ecofeminism (nature & women's domination parallels), & Kincentric Ecology (Indigenous knowledge & nature kinship); Focuses on reparations & intersectional solutions informed by these unique perspectives. 

• Afrofuturism: A cultural movement encompassing art, literature, and theory that envisions and creates alternative realities centering Black experiences and dismantling oppressive structures.  Pioneered by figures like Sun Ra, Samuel R. Delany, and Octavia Butler, Afrofuturism continues to evolve through the work of contemporary artists, writers, and activists. 

• Emergent Strategy: A framework for navigating complex and ever-changing systems, emphasizing adaptability and improvisation. Popularized by writer and activist adrienne maree brown, drawing inspiration from various sources including Octavia Butler's work, Emergent Strategy encourages collaboration, experimentation, and continuous learning in the face of uncertainty. 

• Neurodiversity Paradigm: A framework developed by Dr. Nick Walker that understands neurological differences as natural human variation rather than deficits or disorders. The paradigm challenges pathology models and centers neurodivergent people as experts on their own experiences, advocating for acceptance, accommodation, and systemic change rather than attempting to "fix" or "cure" non-conforming minds.

• Love as a Verb/Liberatory Practice: Concept by cultural critic and feminist theorist bell hooks, who defines love as an action requiring commitment, care, knowledge, responsibility, respect, and trust. Love is not merely feeling but deliberate practice and ethical choice. hooks positions love as a verb—a transformative force for personal and collective liberation that requires work, accountability, and willingness to confront systems of domination.

These values and guiding principles resonate with the potential of integrative arts and well-being to address the challenges of imperialist, white supremacist capitalist patriarchy (IWSCP) and create spaces for healing, liberation, and social change. They offer a holistic framework that goes beyond individual well-being to encompass collective empowerment and action.

Testimonials

Consult with Kristine would love your feedback. Leave a review!

Google | Bark | Trust Pilot