Elizabeth Leslie and her daughter Payton who comes to vote with her in every election.
Welcome to the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators! This series lets you describe your workday in your own words.
Elizabeth Leslie is the Communications Manager for the League of Women Voters of California, a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. She is also on the Action Civics Advisory Committee for Sacramento County and an active volunteer at her daughter’s elementary school. In her free time she enjoys surfing, skiing, swimming, and hiking with her family.
And this is her typical day:
Before 8:00 a.m. – I am up at 5:30 every day. Hazelnut coffee in hand, I check all my email and social media accounts for any breaking news or issues that need my immediate attention. Working in the field of politics and education, things can change very quickly.
I wake up my daughter and husband, care for my fur babies, and we are out the door at 7:15.
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m – My mornings include a staff Skype check-in, arranging my day then starting in on social media and emails.
I also use this time to check in with my website team and our customer service ticketing system. Does anyone need immediate help? We service many time zones so checking our system quickly is essential.
I also check on the status of any legislation we are working on to see if any bills have passed or failed that I need to report on.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – I am likely finalizing content for our websites or having a staff meeting every few weeks.
During election season, I will be checking related deadlines and sharing them where appropriate.
I enjoy eating lunch at our communal table – a great time to chat with staffers and find out what everyone is working on and share some comradery. My office mates love food and we always have cake for birthdays.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Again, I am checking on the status of news from our local and National Leagues on legislation. I may be preparing to go to the Capitol to testify on a specific bill in support or opposition.
I may also be hosting a live webinar on how to use our website platform.
I often check in with any active partners during this time.
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m – I am updating my Trello Project Boards and noting various projects’ progress along with planning for the following week.
I will also check our social media accounts for any needed responses while enjoying a snack and La Croix before heading out.
Thanks for sharing, Elizabeth!
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