Leslie Barrett is the weeknight co-anchor/reporter for 21 News 6 P.M. and 11 P.M. 

She joined 21 WFMJ in 2011, which is only appropriate as she first became interested in broadcasting after job shadowing at 21 WFMJ while she was still a student at Wilmington Area High School.

Leslie has received Associated Press awards for her anchoring and reporting skills. 

She covered the 2016 and 2012 Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

Her story on Darrius Simmons, a young pianist from Warren with four fingers, helped land him a performance at Carnegie Hall with his idol— Korean pianist Yiruma. She followed him to New York City to cover the performance.

Leslie previously worked at WTAP-TV in Parkersburg, West Virginia where she was the weekend anchor/reporter. 

Before WTAP-TV, Leslie helped refugees during a year of service work with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Washington, DC. 

In 2006, Leslie graduated magna cum laude from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and an electronic media concentration. She had dual minors in Political Science and Women's Studies and she interned at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.

Leslie grew up in New Wilmington and graduated from Wilmington Area High School in 2002.

She and her husband, Eric, live in the Mahoning Valley with their daughter Clara.  

When she's not working, Leslie enjoys reading to her daughter, crafting, dancing, and eating the delicious ethnic foods that the Valley has to offer!

You can email Leslie at leslie@wfmj.com, and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.