Honoring the Life and Legacy of Leslie Black Cordes
Leslie Black Cordes, former Vice President of Programs and Operations at Alliance for Justice from September 2017 to January 2021, passed away on December 30, 2025.
Remembering Leslie Black Cordes
Born in Los Angeles and raised in Malibu, Leslie moved to DC to complete her Master of Science from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Leslie then began her professional career at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in 1987, where she helped to enact the 1992 Energy Policy Act and update the Clean Air Act. She was especially proud of her work to raise awareness of human-caused climate change. Following her work on the Committee, she joined USAID, working in climate and energy policy, and then moved to the Alliance to Save Energy, where she focused on energy efficiency in the US, Eastern Europe, and the developing world. After a stint at the EPA, she began managing energy and climate initiatives at the UN Foundation before joining the AFJ team in 2017. AFJ was fortunate when Leslie joined, bringing her 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, resource mobilization, and legislative and government work. About her time at AFJ, Keith Thirion, AFJ’s current VP of Strategy, says:
“Leslie not only brought her extensive experience, expertise, and commitment to justice to AFJ, but also her humor and spirit. Her door was always open, whether to talk about strategy and policy or offer mentorship to the newest intern. Her impact on AFJ, like every cause she dedicated her time to, will long outlast her.”
After her retirement, Leslie developed a strong interest in helping resettle immigrant refugees in the DC area and worked with local resettlement organizations, from furnishing apartments to helping people find jobs, get school supplies for their children, and meet financial needs.
Leslie was an advocate, an environmentalist, and a humanitarian, concerned with the needs of others, and we are poorer for her loss.