Mayor Leslie Waters was born in Gulfport, Florida. After earning her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Florida State University in Tallahassee she had a 29-year career with Allstate Insurance Company in St. Petersburg. She and her husband, Al Waters, have lived in Seminole, Florida, in the same house since 1979. Leslie Waters served eight years in The Florida Legislature, leaving office at the top level of leadership, Speaker Pro-Tempore. She manages her own consulting firm, Leslie Waters Government Relations, where she specializes in international democracy training, working with the International Republican Institute/IRI Global and the Woman's Democracy Network in Washington D.C. She has facilitated workshops and consulted with local, state and provincial elected and appointed government officials, political candidates and community activists in such evolving democracies as Indonesia, Sri-Lanka, Jordan, Egypt, Southern Sudan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Somaliland, Mongolia and Tunisia, where she worked with Libyan women civic leaders. She also provides "One-On-One Campaign Coaching" workshops for candidates and their campaign team on "How to win a Political Campaign," and educating professional associations and businesses on "How to Advocate Government from City Hall to the Halls of Congress." Leslie Waters has served on Seminole City Council since 2009, serving as Councilor, Vice Mayor, Interim Mayor and as Mayor since 2013. She has served on several Florida League of Cities legislative and policy committees, and the Florida League of Mayors' Board of Directors and Legislative Advocacy Committee. She was awarded the "2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and
2018 Home Rule Hero Award" by the Florida League of Cities for her vigorous advocacy of the Florida Legislature for and against issues of importance to Florida Cities and in protection of "Home Rule." She was also an Adjunct Political Science Professor at Eckerd College, and for several years also taught at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. She earned a certificate as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator. In November 2017 Mayor Waters received the Florida State University College of Education Distinguished Alumni International Affairs Award for her extensive International Democracy Training throughout the world enhancing democracy worldwide and empowering women to lead. Based on the belief that it is a joy to serve as an elected official, and that campaigning can be fun, Leslie Waters has transitioned the familiar ballpark "wave" into getting her supporters to "Catch the Waters Wave for Better Government". This enthusiastic attitude has carried her to an undefeated series of elections from state house to the mayor's office. Mayor Waters thanks you for your interest in this publication and asks you to lift your hands to the sky and "Catch the Waters Wave for Better LOCAL Government!" "In my experience, the one thing the international community shares in common is that most countries in the world have Cities and Mayors. This primer will educate you and refresh your knowledge of local government, the government closest to the people." - Mayor Leslie Waters Mayor Leslie Waters, City of Seminole Council since 2009 International Consultant, since 2004 Florida League of Cities, since 2009 Pinellas County Mayor's Council, since 2012 Florida League of Mayors Board of Directors, since 2013 Leslie Waters Government Relations, since 2006