Haley Leatherwood

You might say that Haley Leatherwood was born with a passion to serve. Raised in Abbeville, Louisiana (the heart of Cajun country!), she was brought up with strong values and the importance of helping others-traits that have served her well throughout her life and career.

Even as a young girl, Haley always had an outgoing and welcoming personality-as her mother loves to say, she's "never met a stranger!" She found her first love in acting and attended college with plans to major in theater. As is the case for so many of us, however, Haley soon found that much of her formative university learning took place outside the classroom. As an active member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, Haley served on several committees and in a host of leadership positions where she further cultivated her love of serving others. She soon realized that her future was not set to be on the stage, and switched her major to hospitality management.

After graduating Cum Laude from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Haley immediately secured a job as the Director of Sales at the Courtyard Marriott in Lafayette. During her first year in the role, she experienced firsthand the resilience and strength of her home state in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. She had the humbling and gratifying experience of opening the doors of the hotel to shelter those who had lost everything, including the very roofs over their heads.

After seven years at the Courtyard Marriott, Haley had the opportunity to help open the brand new Homewood Suites by Hilton, where she learned a great deal about building a business from the ground up (literally!). Two years later, Haley was tapped to bring her expertise to Austin at the Hampton Inn & Suites on 17th and Lavaca Streets. She immediately fell in love with the vibrant and welcoming Austin community, which she now calls home. After a decade in the hospitality industry, Haley was offered the unique opportunity to serve others in a new kind of way-as part of the Texas Parents' Association at the University of Texas. Her new role allowed her to assist families with the transition of their children's journey into college life. She became deeply immersed in Austin culture, finding a strong connection through the campus community. However, after two years, Haley felt the tug to do something different-to serve others in a new way by helping them find their perfect home.

When Haley isn't working to help make her clients' real estate dreams come true, you're most likely to find her camping, hiking, biking, or kayaking in beautiful hill country. She and her wife, Leslie, are both avid music fans, and make plans to attend both SXSW and ACL every year. Haley has a deep love for travel and experiencing new cultures, having experienced Machu Picchu in Peru, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and the historic cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Haley is a proud fan of her New Orleans Saints, and tries to get back to visit her family (including a slew of adoring nieces and nephews) in Cajun country as often as possible. Haley and Leslie have two Chihuahua-mix dogs, Georgee and Marley, who round out their happy family.