Author Bio

Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke (www.anandaleeke.com), a lawyer turned innerpreneur and social capitalist, used her background in law and business to become President and CEO of Kiamsha.com, LLC. Through Kiamsha.com, LLC, Leeke shares her gifts as a writer, blogger, artist, creativity coach, workshop facilitator, yoga teacher, Reiki Master practitioner, radio host, social media strategist, online content publisher, and social networking site community manager.

Currently, she works as an artist-in-residence for Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts (www.smithfarm.com). As an artist-in-residence, Leeke engages patients and medical staff in creative expression, guiding them to tap inherent creative and cultural roots through breathing, relaxation, and Reiki healing touch exercises; and a variety of mediums including visual arts, music, storytelling, and creative writing.

Since 1995, Leeke’s mixed media collages, wire sculptures, and paintings have been exhibited in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, North Carolina, and Kentucky. The Women’s Collective and Howard University Hospital own Leeke’s wire sculpture collections dedicated to communities of color living with HIV/AIDS. In 2001, her artwork was featured in Heart and Soul Magazine.

Leeke is currently completing her poetic memoir, That Which Awakens Me: A Creative Woman's Poetic Memoir of Self-Discovery (September 2009 Release on Amazon.com). In 2007, her debut novel Love's Troubadours - Karma: Book One (www.lovestroubadours.com) was published by iUniverse, Inc. Her novel tells the story of Karma Francois, a thirtysomething Oakland-born BoHo BAP (Bohemian Black American Princess) with Louisiana roots and urban debutante flair. Leeke's poetry was featured in Beyond the Frontier: African American Poetry for the 21st Century edited by E. Ethelbert Miller. She also self-published several books of poetry and women’s creativity workbooks. In addition, Leeke facilitated expressive arts and self-care workshops for women of color living with HIV/AIDS; cancer patients, their caregivers, and health care providers; interfaith communities attending the Washington National Cathedral’s women’s spirituality conferences; children with unique learning styles; and lay ministers.

Leeke is a graduate of Morgan State University (B.A. in French, 1986), Howard University School of Law (J.D., 1989), and Georgetown University Law Center (LL.M. in Securities and Financial Regulation, 1991). Her memberships include the National League of American Pen Women, Yoga Alliance, Cultural Alliance of Greater Washington’s Business Volunteer Program, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., All Souls Unitarian Church, Insight Meditation Community of Washington’s People of Color Sangha. Leeke lives and plays in Washington, DC’s historic U Street neighborhood.