Leni Uddyback-Fortson

We all have that friend that we may see once or twice a year, sometimes even every other year, but it doesn’t matter, because when we connect, it’s like we saw each other yesterday. Leni has always been like that for me. From the moment we connected as young teens, I have been fascinated by her abilities as a writer, as a thinker and as a friend. She is kind, genuine and fierce in her belief that we have a responsibility to be better people. As a communications expert, author, and public speaker, she continually pushes herself to be and do more. As a mom, a spouse, and a friend, she is there whenever and wherever she’s needed. In this podcast, Leni and I reconnect as we often do, by diving into what matters to us on that particular day. On this day, it was about how to live in a world where tensions are high, where understanding takes time and listening is the most important skill we have. It’s the first Allies interview because to me, Leni and I started this conversation sometime in the Reagan years turning ourselves sideways in classroom desks and saying that for all our seeming differences, we are and would forever be friends.

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Leni Uddyback-Fortson has served as regional director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Labor in Philadelphia since 2007. A communications professional with more than 25 years of experience, Leni has directed her talents to the public service arena, holding positions with the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies in Philadelphia, Pa., The American Red Cross in Baltimore, Md., and The Greater Philadelphia Association of REALTORS® in Philadelphia, Pa.

In her current position, Leni serves as senior spokesperson for all Labor Department agencies throughout a seven-state Mid-Atlantic region. The mission of the Labor Department is to foster, develop and promote the welfare of working Americans. Prior to her most recent appointment, Leni was the assistant regional director of public affairs for nine years.

Leni received her Bachelor of Science in Business Communications from Bryant College Smithfield, R.I., and her Master of Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. She is a Senior Fellow with the Excellence in Government Program sponsored by the Partnership in or Public Service, and is also a graduate of the South Jersey Regional Leadership Institute at Rutgers University and the Urban League of Philadelphia’s Leadership Institute.

In addition to her full-time position, Leni serves as an adjunct instructor at Gwynedd Mercy University in Philadelphia, Pa., and Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J. She is a poet with three published collections, and is preparing to release her fourth book.

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Music courtesy of Traum Diggs:
"My Journal ft.SOUL" by Gas-Lab & Traum Diggs