If you live in Wash Park, chances are you know Leslie Beck. And if you don’t know her by name, you’ve almost certainly experienced the ripple effect of her work. From community gatherings to meaningful local initiatives, Leslie is one of those neighbors who helps make Wash Park the vibrant, welcoming place it is.
Wash Park knows you as both a neighbor and a connector. What first drew you to community involvement here, and what keeps you rooted in this neighborhood?
In 2018, I saw a post on Nextdoor asking for help with tents for our annual July 4th celebration, so I volunteered. That’s when I discovered we had a Registered Neighborhood Association, despite living here for over a decade and receiving those newsletters on my porch, I’d never connected the dots. I realized if I didn’t know about the association, many neighbors probably didn’t either. So I created the role of Events Chair to bring our community together and raise awareness.
What keeps me rooted here? The relationships. I’ve watched friendships blossom at our happy hours, seen neighbors who’ve lived here 30 years play croquet on the lawn for the first time, and experienced the power of collective advocacy. The friendships I’ve made through this work are priceless. Between the beauty of the park and the charm of South Gaylord Street where I’m always running into familiar faces, I truly cannot imagine living anywhere else. This isn’t just my neighborhood; it’s my home.
You’re in the process of launching the Leslie Beck Collective. What inspired you to bring your real estate expertise and certified divorce coaching together under one umbrella?
After ten years in real estate building a referral-based business I love, I did some soul-searching in 2024 and realized I needed to expand my work in a way that fed my soul more deeply.
I’ve been divorced twice, one was amicable, the other was not. Through other professionals in the divorce space, I learned about divorce coaching and instantly knew I needed to get certified. If I’d had a strategic thinking partner during the overwhelm and chaos of my high-conflict divorce, everything would have been different.
I’m not pro-divorce—I’m pro-information. I want women to make empowered decisions from a place of clarity, not crisis. And here’s the thing: I’ve naturally attracted divorce clients for years, whether they’re selling the marital home or buying their first post-divorce house. Combining these two areas of expertise just felt symbiotic. Now I can support women through both the emotional journey and the biggest financial decision they’ll make during this transition.
Divorce real estate is such a specialized niche. What do you wish more people understood about navigating real estate during major life transitions?
Divorce involves so many moving pieces, and while each professional attorneys, mediators, financial advisors plays a critical role, they often don’t understand the nuances of real estate. And those nuances matter enormously.
For example, if someone wants to buy a new home post-divorce, lenders typically need to see six months of documented income. A lump-sum settlement doesn’t count, which can delay that purchase significantly. Or consider court-ordered sales with unrealistic timelines—attorneys set a deadline without understanding the current market or what it actually takes to prepare and sell a home.
Then there’s the emotional layer. Often one spouse doesn’t want to sell, which creates communication challenges and resistance at every turn. You need a real estate professional who can quarterback this transaction with both strategic expertise and emotional intelligence. That’s where I come in, helping clients navigate not just the logistics, but the feelings that come with closing one chapter and opening another.
You’ve served on multiple REALTOR boards and the Washington Park East Neighborhood Association. How has that leadership shaped the way you show up for the community?
My leadership experience, from my corporate career to various boards, has taught me that real impact doesn’t come from having the loudest voice. It comes from understanding diverse perspectives and making people feel heard.
Community isn’t built through grand gestures; it’s built through consistency and care. Organizing food drives, supporting local businesses, planning inclusive neighborhood events are ways we can come together. Serving on the neighborhood association has allowed me to lead with collaboration and integrity, always asking: How can this be better for the whole community? That question guides everything I do.
You’ve volunteered with groups from A Little Help to the Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute, and even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with your son for a fundraiser. What experience stands out as especially transformative?
First, climbing Kilimanjaro. I summited at 19,341 feet during a time when I was contemplating ending my second marriage. I was scared, vulnerable, ashamed—this was my second marriage, how could I let this happen? And unsure if I could live life independently again. Pushing through that climb with my team, lifting and supporting each other every step of the way, was life-changing. It showed me I was stronger than I thought.
Then, a few months after returning, while volunteering with A Little Help, I had the absolute privilege of helping our beloved neighbor Betty Hagen, taking her to doctor appointments, helping with groceries, just being present. Betty was in her 90s, about 5’2”, and so spicy. As she shared stories of her life, the gumption she had to live on her own terms while raising her daughters to be strong, confident, independent women, she gave me the encouragement I needed to find myself and never let anyone treat me as less than.
My time with Betty was incredibly special. She helped me see that strength isn’t about perfection; it’s about showing up for yourself, even when it’s hard.
You recently joined Together Women Rise, a group focused on learning about and supporting women in Third World countries. What drew you to that mission, and what has the experience been like?
Since my early 20s, I’ve been drawn to helping women in developing countries through microfinance, supporting them to start businesses, care for their families, and lift themselves out of poverty. In the early ‘90s, I read Creating a World Without Poverty by Muhammad Yunus, and it profoundly shaped me. I started donating to Grameen Bank and never stopped believing in the power of economic empowerment.
When a friend and neighbor told me about Together Women Rise, it felt like a natural fit. My entire adult life has been about empowering women to be independent and finding ways to facilitate that, whether it’s here in Denver or halfway around the world. I’m very new to the organization, but I’m excited to deepen my involvement in the coming year. When women thrive, entire communities transform.
Balancing board work, volunteerism, coaching clients, and real estate is no small feat. How do you stay grounded and keep your work centered on service?
Honestly? I’ve spread myself too thin at times. Recent health challenges taught me the importance of that old phrase: “Put your oxygen mask on first.” I’ve let go of commitments that don’t align with my long-term goals and started setting real boundaries, like not working on Sundays so I can prioritize family time.
I start my mornings with me-time: yoga, reading, journaling. I’ve learned to say no to anything that isn’t a “heck yes.” And at night, you’ll often find me doing Diamond Art—a simple, meditative craft where I place tiny rhinestones onto a sticky canvas. It sounds silly, but it’s incredibly grounding.
Service isn’t about doing everything; it’s about showing up fully for the things that matter most. When I take care of myself, I show up better for everyone else.
As someone deeply woven into Wash Park life, what’s your hope for the neighborhood in the coming years?
My hope is that we continue coming together to make meaningful impact. We’ve already seen this work, when the city proposed turning South Gaylord into a Shared Street, neighbors and merchants united with clear, thoughtful opposition, and we stopped it.
I hope more neighbors discover our association and join us at events so we can strengthen our community bonds. I hope individual blocks expand their connections through block parties and gatherings. I think we’re all leaning more into the need for community and deeper relationships with one another, and Wash Park is the perfect place to cultivate that.
This neighborhood has always been special. My hope is that we keep building on that foundation, creating a place where everyone feels seen, heard, and connected.
Thank you, Leslie for your continued sense of purpose, drive and work to strengthen our community!