Leslie King was ordained as a Minister of Word, Sacrament, and Pastoral Care in The United Church of Canada in 1980. She holds a BA in Anthropology from Trent University and a Master of Divinity from Emmanuel College of Victoria University under the University of Toronto. As a minister, Leslie worked at the Six Nations Reserve, Mississaugas of New Credit Reserve in Ontario, and Swan Lake First Nation Reserve in southern Manitoba. She spent 22 years in active ministry in Thompson, Manitoba, which included much involvement with medical systems as an advocate for people who were often not taken seriously because of their race or gender. There have been seven different kinds of cancer in her family, including her own three. Now cancer-free, Leslie lives in Bobcaygeon, Ontario with her 14-year-old cat, Archie.