Lillie Leonardi, Founder

After 25 years serving in the law enforcement profession, Lillie Leonardi pursued her lifetime passion for writing. In 2013, Lillie shared her experience as a 9/11 responder in her first non-fiction book entitled: In The Shadow Of A Badge. The White Light Of Grace followed in 2016. Both books were published with Hay House, Inc. 

Founded in 2014, Lillie created Passages & Prose to support reading, writing, and literacy in Pittsburgh and its surrounding communities. Offering arts and literacy programming through events, partnerships, collaborations, and workshops, Passages & Prose provides published authors the opportunity to cultivate, navigate and promote their literary works with others. 

From 1998 to 2010, Lillie was employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Pittsburgh Division as its Community Outreach Specialist and also under the auspice of the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania where she served with a prestigious group of instructors.

On September 11, 2001 and in the post days of recovery, Lillie was utilized by the FBI to address law enforcement, government, and social service agency representatives assisting with evidence recovery and preparations for two memorial services at the Flight 93 crash site. She not only served as primary liaison to the United Airlines Humanitarian Response Team—presenting at daily briefings and interacting with surviving family members—but also escorted families to the crash site for the memorial services. Prior to her career with the FBI, Lillie worked as the lead law enforcement officer on two college campuses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1984, she was appointed to serve as the first female patrol officer with the City of Arnold, Pennsylvania.

Lillie is a contributor to The Huffington Post and Heal Your Life digital publications.

Follow Lillie @GaulFromLebanon on Twitter.