Biography
“Leslie Hsu Oh is one of the most innovative outdoor writers today. Her prose style has a combination of spare lyricism, perfect rhythm and sensory power that seems almost like magic, bringing her readers fully into the worlds she re-creates,” says Editor-in-Chief of Alpinist Magazine. She is a 7-time gold medalist and 5-time silver medalist in four consecutive NATJA awards. Her work consistently wins medals like the Lowell Thomas and has been named among the distinguished stories of the year by Best American Essays. Her writing and photography appear in Alaska Magazine, Alpinist, Backpacker Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, First Alaskans Magazine, Fourth Genre, National Geographic, Outside Magazine, Parents Magazine, Smithsonian, Sierra Magazine, Washington Post, Vogue and more. Losing her mother and brother to hepatitis B at the age of twenty-one inspired her to found the Hepatitis B Initiative in 1997 as her Schweitzer project, which is still operating in several states offering free hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cholesterol, glucose screenings, and flu vaccinations to these communities: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burmese, Cambodian, Cameroon, Chinese, Egyptians, Ethiopian, Filipino, Ghanaian, Hmong, Indian, Indonesian, Korean, Laotian, Mongolian, Moroccan, Nepalese, Nigerian, Pakistani, Saudi Arabian, Sierra Leone, Somalian, Sudan, Syrian, Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and more. It is the longest-running Albert Schweitzer Fellowship project. In addition to being named White House Champions of Change for AAPI Art and Storytelling and Schweitzer Fellow for Life, Leslie has a degree in biology, ethnobotany, a masters in fine arts creative nonfiction and a masters in public health from Harvard. When she graduated, she won the first Julius B. Richmond Young Leader in Public Health Award, the first National Award for Excellence in Public Health Leadership, the Sun Memorial Award for exemplifying a commitment to improving the health and well-being of people in underserved populations, and the Schweitzer Award for reverence for life.
Articles, Publications, and Appearances
- Speaker on Diversity in the Outdoors Panel, Tourism Cares, May 18, 2022.
- Speaker at 40th day celebration for Aunty Rita Blumenstein, Alaska Native Heritage Center, September 15,
- Keynote at Harvard Prize Book Award Ceremony, May 13,
- Speaker at National Hep B & C Conference sponsored by APAMSA on “Saving Lives with Stories” Nov 14,
- Speaker at Impact Travel Immersion on “How to be an Ethical Storyteller?” July 13,
- Reading in Washington, C. from Grace in Darkness. July 7, 2018.
- Panelist at Kendal Mountain Film “Imaginary Mountains.” November 2017
- Keynote REI Rooftop Party (150+ audience), August 25, 2017
- Panelist at NonfictioNOW: “Travel writer as Cartographer” and “Third Culture Point of View: Writing from a Multicultural Perspective” June 2017.
- Faculty Member SPARK! Gala & Leadership Conference, Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. “Power of storytelling to effect change.” Nov 5, 2016.
- Travel Writer Close to Home: The Beginner’s practical guide to Travel Writing, BinderConNY, New York, October 29, 2016.
- Guest White House Champions of Change for AAPI Storytelling and Art, White House, Washington, D.C., May 4, 2016.
- Invited to speak at Hep B United Summit and World Hepatitis Day events, July 26-28,
- Masters of Ceremony for HBI-DC 5th Annual Benefit Gala and Awards Dinner, May 31,
- Keynote Congressional Viral Hepatiits Reception, May 12, 2015.
- Keynote HBI-DC’s Benefit Gala and Awards Dinner, June 8, 2014.
- Keynote address & National Hepatitis Awareness Month Journalist Workshop, May 8, 2014.
- Keynote World Hepatitis Day at White House, sponsored by White House Offices of National AIDS Policy and National Drug Control Policy, July 26, 2013.
- Introduced Howard Koh, the Assistant Secretary for Health at the US Department of Health and Human Services, at HBI-DC’s Benefit Gala and Award Dinner, October 23, 2011.
- Keynote address. HBI-DC Hep B Free DC Gala Night, Arlington, 2010.
- “Canyonlands” and “Of Dragons and Moon ” Pacific Rim Conference on English and Rhetoric. Invited reader for Creative Writing Panel. Anchorage, Alaska. 2008.
- Keynote Gilead. Invited speaker for HBV Advocacy Advisory Board. New York, New York. 2008.
- Guest University of Alaska Anchor age. Women’s Studies Seminar. 2008.
- Keynote Invited speaker for National Asian American English Ministry Pastor’s Conference. Vienna, Virginia. 2006.
- Keynote Albert Schweitzer Fellowship. Invited speaker for Fundraising Reception. Boston, Massachusetts. 2004.
- Keynote Bristol Myers Squibb. Invited speaker for AIM for the B: Awareness, Involvement, and Mobilization of chronic hepatitis B. Washington, D.C. 2004.
- Keynote Hepatitis B Initiative-DC. Invited speaker for D.C. , Maryland, and Virginia area Korean Americans Pastors Luncheon. Washington, D.C. 2004.
- See more appearances and publications at www.lesliehsuoh.com