Welcome!
Peggy M. Leisz
Libertyville, Illinois
Leiszpeggy@gmail.com | + 1 - 952 - 210 - 5242
Versatile and results-driven professional with 8+ years of professional experience in education and retail sales, recognized for leadership and communication excellence.
Demonstrates a unique blend of analytical and artistic skills, excelling in problem-solving, design, and administrative tasks.
Proven ability to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency through strategic planning and collaborative efforts, with a passion for driving innovation and fostering continuous growth.
Currently studying UX / UI Design.
Employment Story
Senior Sales Specialist
REI Flagship | Bloomington, MN
March 2022 - August 2024
Promoted to lead the clothing department within 5 months, trained across multiple departments.
Executed and adapted nationwide floor-sets for seasonal updates.
Analyzed price adjustment reports and delegated tasks within the department.
Local Coordinator
CIEE; Council on International Educational Exchange | Twin Cities, MN
February 2022 - June 2023
Vetted potential host families for incoming international students to be matched with.
Coordinated school (and sports) enrollment for select int’l students at local MN high schools.
English Teacher
Monkey Tree English Learning Center | Hong Kong, Hong Kong
July 2019 - October 2021
Taught 5-6 daily lessons consisting of phonics, vocabulary, reading, and spelling to students aged 2-11, adapting to various school policies with additional substitute teaching.
Implemented self-made digital teaching tools during remote learning, resulting in sustained student engagement and consistent attendance.
English Teacher
Gui Dian Middle School | Guilin, Guangxi, China
February 2018 - January 2019
Engaged with 1,100 middle school and high school students spanning 19 classrooms through designing and implementing engaging lesson plans with the goal to inspire students confidence with speaking English.
Facilitated faculty-centric continuous learning seminars sharing pedagogy on best practices related to lesson planning and providing coaching critiques to fellow, local English teachers.
Math Teacher
Brody Middle School; Des Moines Public Schools | Des Moines, IA
August 2016 - July 2017
Fostered a dynamic, inquiry-based 7th grade classroom environment in an IB school that elevated student engagement and performance in algebra and pre-algebra.
Crafted accelerated lesson plans to cover materials from both 7th grade math plus half of 8th grade math to allow students to advance to 9th grade math at the start of the following school year.
Office of Admission Assistant
DMACC; Des Moines Area Community College | Ankeny, IA
May 2016 - August 2016
Prepared individualized paperwork for incoming students based on selected areas of interest.
Coordinated event setup / tear down for weekly orientation days; led families around campus.
Continuous Learning
Google UX /UI Design Professional Certificate
September 2024 - Present | Online; Self-Paced
Successfully earned 5 / 8 certificates (so far) including, but not limited to, topics such as:
Foundations of UX, Conducting Research, Building Wireframes, Lo-Fi and Hi-Fi Prototyping, UI, and Responsive Websites.
Peggy Mac Prints
Etsy Shop Owner
Since 2020
Selling eclectic sets of prints, drawn by me, through an online marketplace catering to personalized edits, private orders, and listings for the public.
About to reach the 100th sale milestone (!!)
Drake University | 2016
Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education
Endorsed in K-8 Mathematics
Graduated with Magna Cum Laude with School of Education Honors; receiving the Wanda E. Everage Award for Excellence in Peer Mentorship 2016 along with Top Sophomore 2014, Top Junior 2015, and Greek Athlete 2016 awards respectively.
Drake Dance Team Captain
Peer Mentor and Academic Consultant
Orientation Leader
KAO Philanthropy Chair
KAO Chief Education Officer