Leslie Dashew

Leslie has written four books. She is a co-author of Working With Family Businesses, A Guide For Professionals, published by Jossey-Bass. Leslie's second book, The Best of The Human Side was published in October of 1997. Her third book, Health, Wealth and Families: How to Assure Your Wealth Helps, Not Hurts, Your Family was published in January of 2003. Leslie's most recent book, Keys to Family Business Success (co-authored with her partners in the Aspen Family Business Group) was published in early 2011. She is often quoted, and her writing on family business issues can be found in popular, business and trade magazines including Family Business, INC, Black Enterprise, Entrepreneur, USA Today, Investment News and many others. She was even featured in an interview in the Nepali publication, The Organization, and in Professional Builder magazine. Leslie speaks widely at academic, professional and trade associations. She presents workshops and seminars for companies across the U.S. and abroad. She is renowned for her interactive programs on family business issues, management, leadership, team building, change and stress management, as well as individual and interpersonal effectiveness. Leslie also conducts training for professional and trade associations such as YPO (Young Presidents Organization), Family Firm Institute, American Institute of CPAs, Society of the Plastics Industry, American Hotel and Motel Association, American Society for Training and Development, Attorneys for Family Held Enterprises (AFHE) as well as Family Business Educational Forums, Universities, Chambers of Commerce and Small Business Development Centers. As a family therapist as well as an organizational development consultant, Leslie's insights are also shared individually and in workshops on managing "problem" employees, chemical dependency, communication skills, stress and change management and overcoming barriers to professional effectiveness. Leslie has served in many volunteer and professional organizations on boards and committees including the Board of Trustees of Pitzer College, The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, the Scottsdale Center for the Arts, Women Business Owners, Inc., the Scottsdale Cultural Council, the Council For Children, and the Family Firm Institute. In 2010 The Family Firm Institute awarded Leslie the "Richard Beckhard Award" which is the most prestigious award in the family business field. It recognizes contributions to the knowledge and practice of advising family businesses. "Leslie has been a vanguard in our field and always at the leading edge of new knowledge and tools in understanding and serving family businesses," says Kelin Gersick, Ph.D, past award recipient and FFI leader. "She not only helps to develop many of the concepts and tools used by other professionals, but she also mentors individuals, families, and organizations across the globe to help chart the courses of their futures." Leslie greatly enjoys her membership in the International Women's Forum and was recently elected President of the Arizona Women's Forum. Leslie's undergraduate degree in psychology is from Pitzer College and her graduate degree in psychiatric social work is from the University of Michigan. She served on the Emory University Medical School Faculty in Psychiatry for 6 years. Leslie is married to Jack Salisbury, has two children, Baleigh and Brett, and one brand new grandson, Robin. Helping families navigate change to achieve harmony and prosperity.