Margaret McLeod Leef worked as a writer and editorial assistant at Eating Well Magazine in Charlotte, Vermont, before returning to her native West Virginia, where she was Managing Editor of West Virginia Quarterly magazine. During her brief tenure, she earned several awards for her
articles profiling West Virginians. Margaret also worked as a copywriter, editor, radio broadcaster, and website developer for OuttaSite, Inc. 

After taking time to raise four children, Margaret returned to journalism through food writing, discovering it offered the perfect lens for exploring cultural stories that matter to her..

Margaret contributes regularly to the Pulitzer Prize-winning Charleston Gazette-Mail newspaper in Charleston, WV. She also produces compelling audio stories for the acclaimed podcast Inside Appalachia.  

With over a decade of journalistic experience, Margaret speaks about the art of good conversations and interviews, and teaches these skills to students. She also teaches food memoir writing and gives talks that explore topics from her published work. Margaret hosts community forums and live interviews.

Margaret earned a degree in English from the University of Vermont, where she was honored as runner-up for the English Department Award for Excellence in Composition. She is currently earning an MFA in Creative Writing from Stonecoast through the University of
Southern Maine.