Leslie Nolte has been an innovator in arts education in the Iowa City creative community for nearly two decades. Founder and Artistic Director of Nolte Academy, a well-regarded performing arts institution, she has embraced the area’s growing diversity. Nolte Academy’s 30 specialized instructors and 1,100 students attract a highly diversified teacher and client base. Quality instruction from age 18 months through adult, plus varied disciplines in dance, theatre and voice appeal to a wide range of patrons. As part of Kennedy Center's Ensuring the Arts for Any Given Child program and Nolte Academy’s Outreach Program, Ms. Nolte brings workshop dance instruction to area schools with lower socioeconomic status, helping to guarantee access and equity to the arts for all students. In addition, Ms. Nolte casts productions based solely on talent and fit, never adhering to gender, age or ethnicity expectations. Ms. Nolte is also a guest lecturer at The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. She lectures on the topics of Entrepreneurship, Women lead small businesses and mentors young business makers within the Founders Club at UI. Ms. Nolte is a busy mom of five who also finds time to act in local theatre, teach Pilates at her studio, support various arts endeavors and deepen her personal yoga practice.