Leslie Pitts, MSN, CPNP-AC, CDCES, AP-PEN, is an acute-care pediatric nurse practitioner with 16 years of experience at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama. Throughout her career, Leslie has worked as a bedside RN in pediatric intensive care, as a diabetes and insulin pump educator in the endocrine clinic, and as a nurse practitioner in the endocrine clinic. She served as a consultant with the Alabama Department of Public Health for state newborn screening for over 12 years, which fueled a passion for research within pediatric rare diseases, particularly Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. In 2022, Leslie was awarded the Advanced Practice Excellence Award by Children’s of Alabama.
Leslie is currently pursuing a dual DNP-PhD degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She continues a close relationship with pediatric endocrinology at Children’s of Alabama, where she will implement a transitional care program for adolescents with CAH later this year for her DNP project. Her dissertation research will continue to focus on adolescent and young adult sexual and reproductive health knowledge, experiences, and practices among individuals with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, their parents and their providers.
Leslie is married, has two children, ages 11 and 8, and lives with her family in Pelham, Alabama. Leslie serves on the Junior Board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and proudly lives with Type 1 Diabetes for over 20 years.
As a fun fact, Leslie owns an axolotl named Falkor. Axolotls are salamanders with central hypothyroidism, and as a result, they do not progress beyond their aquatic state. As an endocrine nerd, she could not pass up owning one of these fascinating creatures!