Overview
David Leslie has been a nursing leader for more than two decades. Prior to moving to Wichita, David served as chief nursing officer at Presbyterian St. Luke’s and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children in Denver. Prior to that, he held leadership positions across HCA, UCHealth and Houston Methodist Hospital System for 27 years.
David was initially attracted to nursing through a natural inclination to be around and serve people. His non-traditional career pathway served him well, and he has held many roles at all levels throughout his adult life. During his early years, David worked for Sears Roebuck and Co. serving as an in-home appliance repairman. After learning about opportunities in healthcare and nursing, David chartered a course of part-time education, attending school in the evenings. At the age of 27 his nursing journey began, and service to patients has been his passion ever since. His passion for people being treated well led him into leadership and building strong cultures where staff want to work, and patients receive great care. Over the last 20+ years, he has been fortunate to serve in leadership positions supporting nearly every department of a hospital within three world-class organizations.
David holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Houston and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. David began his college education with an associate degree in nursing from Houston Community College. He is board certified as Nurse Executive Advanced through the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
David’s passion for building culture, shared governance and the pursuit of clinical excellence led him to serve the Wichita community through his current position at Wesley Healthcare.
David and his family moved to Wichita in early 2022. He and his wife Hazel, a nurse, and two children, Luke and Kendall, have settled into the Maize community. The family is active in their church and enjoy hiking, biking, skiing and share a passion for music. The couple also have two grown sons who live in Texas. David and Hazel have always been involved in their community. David is an active board member of the Kansas Children’s Foundation and Hazel serves weekly in their local church.