Leslie Sholl Jaffe

Leslie Sholl Jaffe began her journey as Leslie Karen Sholl in Chicago, Illinois on September 11th, 1953. She was already bursting with too much life to wait for her parents -- Carol and Marvin -- to arrive at the hospital and was born on the move in a '47 Packard like the force of nature that she is. Leslie would go on to make a profound impact on the people who crossed her path, sharing her radiant warmth, generous wisdom, and fierce compassion for humanity on every level. Leslie brought all of this into her work life. Moving through a series of people-centered jobs --lifeguard, community center director, executive director of Women Business Owners of New York -- she found her life's mission as a trainer and coach in personal growth, organizational change and leadership development. After consulting in the corporate sector for many years, she transitioned to the social justice world, which was much closer to her heart. Among her many clients were the Human Rights Campaign, the Service Employees International Union, the Rockwood Leadership Institute, and many Jewish social justice programs including the Selah project of Bend the Arc and Hillel. Through this work she touched many lives; the ripples of her presence will be felt for years to come. Leslie is most known for co-developing one of the most powerful and prolific leadership tools in the country: POP (Purpose, Outcomes, Process). This tool has been taught to over 12,000 leaders around the world and is widely used across the nonprofit sector. Too early in life, Leslie experienced deep loss with the deaths of her brothers Scott and Barry from cancer and complications of AIDS, respectively. She would ultimately be parted from her parents, her mother-in-law Phyllis, and several dear friends. The memories of her loved ones always stayed close to her heart and strengthened the empathy with which she approached the world. Leslie's greatest joy was her beloved family: her husband of 42 years, David, their children Dara and Gary, and her sons-in-law, Omar and Jason. They will miss her an unspeakable amount and hold her tight with the infinite love she instilled in them. The final part of Leslie's journey was a series of illnesses that weakened her body but not her resolve. She fought hard to stay on this earth as long as possible, and her bright light will remain here. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to two organizations with which Leslie was personally involved: Breakthrough Central Texas (https://breakthroughctx.org/) helps Austin area students become the first of their families to attend college. Leslie and David have supported the program for many years. For the past four years, Leslie mentored a young woman from Austin High School who is now a freshman at Texas State University. The Settlement Home for Children (https://www.settlementhome.org/) promotes healing and growth in children, young adults and families by providing a continuum of care, support and resources. They serve individuals who have experienced severe emotional trauma, abuse and neglect. Leslie spent hours preparing goods for their annual fundraising sale and informally mentored one of the young women in the program. A memorial service for Leslie is being planned for May 16 in Austin. It will also be livestreamed. Details to follow.

Leslie Sholl Jaffe

September 11, 1953 - February 18, 2026