A graduate of the University of Florida…Go Gators!!, Leisha  McKinley-Beach has been a fixture in the field of communicable diseases  for almost 33 years. She is the Founder and CEO of the Black Public Health Academy, which leads with the vision of “Black Health is Black Wealth.”  Mrs. McKinley-Beach is University of Florida, College of  Health and Human Performance 2023 Hall of Fame Recipient and Gilead Sciences Champions of Change: A Celebration of Black Women Changemakers in HIV. 

Other work includes leading the largest mobilization initiative to date in Florida, Sistas Organizing to Survive (S.O.S.) where over 100,000 black women are tested annually for HIV. Additionally, she was instrumental in developing the first PrEP program in a southern health department, occurring at Fulton County Health Department.

Leisha serves as a coach and mentor for several health departments and organizations. She is considered a subject matter expert in: capacity building assistance and training for health departments, PrEP training for providers serving Black populations, Black women initiatives, and a thought leader for overall Black health.

In her free time, Mrs. McKinley-Beach enjoys creating content for her inspirational podcast, Thought 4 The Day and supporting her husband’s music company, Platinum Level Production. We recognize that every individual has unique talents and strengths, and we aim to help our students discover and develop their full potential.