Leila Marchbanks is a fifth grade teacher at a private independent school in Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from The University of Southern California with a BS in Kinesiology and a MA in Communication Management. She continued her professional development at the USC Rossier School of Education in Secondary Writing and Differentiated Curriculum of Gifted Learners.
Leila obtained her Elementary Multi Subject Teaching credential while working with Teach For America following graduation. Leila has always been passionate about diverse literature and making sure her students enjoy reading while investing in the experiences of other cultures. Leila was able to restructure the 5th grade Language Arts program at her institution to remove stories of traditional protagonists that excluded people of color and include literature that reflected diverse children along with their complex experiences. Her curriculum evaluates race, systemic racism, gender spectrum, and eliminating microaggressions and biases. Leila now wants to share her research with educators across the country. 

Leila resides in Los Angeles with her husband Vince, who is a commercial architect and a member of the USA Dodgeball and Beach Handball teams. The couple share two sons, Jackson and Brandon. In her spare time, Leila loves to compete in elite dodgeball tournaments alongside her husband and attend USC football games with her family.