Lea manages Texas Book Festival’s year-round outreach programs including Reading Rock Stars, Library Grants, and the Youth Fiction Contest. Lea holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in International Relations and International Development from Tulane University. After graduating, Lea taught 6^th grade reading at a KIPP middle school in New Orleans as a member of Teach for America. She recently graduated from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs with a Master’s of Public Affairs. While earning her master’s degree, Lea interned for a local corporate foundation. Lea’s favorite literary genres include 20^th century fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction.