Leesa has been the PRC's Assistant Director for Community Outreach since 2001.  She works with communities to build capacity, helping them to develop, implement, and evaluate health promotion and disease prevention programs.  Ms. Prendergast is also a Program Manager for the Evaluation Oversight and Coordinating Unit which oversees the evaluation of the state's tobacco prevention and cessation programming. She received her Bachelor's degree from Richmond University in Economics and her Master's degree as a Community Health Education Specialist from WVU.  Her professional history includes eight years in the non-profit management and professional services organization arena.  She also served as a lobbyist in Charleston, WV for Susman and Associates.  Ms. Prendergast spent two years as the Executive Director for the State Health Education Council (SHEC).  Her skills were further refined at the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, where she served as the Community Education Coordinator.  As a Health Promotion Specialist for the WV Bureau for Public Health from 1998-2001, Ms. Prendergast developed the hands-on knowledge and expertise to facilitate grass roots community health initiatives.  In 2004, she received the Karen R. King Distinguished Service Award from the State Health Education Council.