Leesa Rowland: Animal Activist, Philanthropist and Actress who Acts on her Passions

Whatever she does—activist, author, actress and producer—Leesa Rowland does it big. The Texas native who has taken on New York never stops championing those passions and projects she holds dear to her heart, including her animal charity. With the release of an empowering new self-help book, as well as film roles and her legendary events, Leesa’s long list of accomplishments keeps growing.

She might be known as a glamour girl, but Leesa, who founded her own non-profit, also knows how to get down. Growing up on her family’s cattle ranch, she remembers how each cow had its own facial distinctions. “I would name them and everything and found out what was happening to them and what slaughter was,” she said.

After getting into animal activism following her move to Los Angeles, Leesa began working with Chris DeRose, the founder of Last Chance for Animals, in 1989. “It’s my biggest passion,” she says of animals.

The healthy-eating vegan has continued to be an advocate for animal rights alongside DeRose ever since, and founded her own non-profit group, Animal Ashram, in 2013. She is especially involved in working against family farming and advocating for farm animals. “I do a lot of work trying to rescue the ones that we can and get them into sanctuaries,” she said.

Leesa is also committed to helping our canine companions by working to ensure that the long list of dogs and cats that appear on euthanasia lists every day have a chance of getting rescued by the next day, or before it’s too late. “We try to offer sponsor money and find fosters to get them into a rescue, and it’s constant. It’s a lot of working through the night.”

After moving to New York in 2007, Leesa began doing theater and commercials in high school and college. After graduating from journalism school at Texas Tech, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream and landed amongst the stars. She studied at Stella Adler Studio and quickly found herself in film and TV projects, as well as print modeling, through which she made most of her money at the time.

She put her scary good talents to work by appearing in horror movies as well as more light-hearted films such as The Bros. Leesa also starred in the Nuke ‘Em High series, as well as Travis Campbell’s Slaughter Daughter. She has since added executive producer to her resume and is reprising some of her biggest roles.

Leesa continues to hone her talents by taking improv classes at the famed Upright Citizens Brigade in New York and also studies with actor Richard Kline, known for his role as Larry on the late-1970s show Three’s Company.

In her latest book, The Charisma Factor, Leesa shares life changing lessons you won’t find in school. “It teaches you how to negotiate and how to communicate in the world. There are aspects that cover both the personal and professional.”

She says her world lessons come from being in the entertainment business and watching different charismatic types over the years. This also extends to what she’s observed since moving to New York. “I see how different people work it. I also think a lot of people try too hard,” she says.

Her friends also add their own tips to the self-help guide that attempts to show people how to harness their inner spark and shine for all to see. “I want to help people become the best that they can be. One of the chapters that’s especially strong is about different charismatic personalities, the traits that they have and their magnetism. It’s like a behavior study.”

The philanthropist and now proud New Yorker has found her charismatic match in her adopted city. “I love it all. I love the events, the variety, Central Park, the boathouse in the springtime. We have the best restaurants, and we’re very blessed to have the absolute best rooftops.”

She continues to make her mark in Manhattan with her legendary soirees, including last year’s Old Hollywood Glamour Halloween Ball at Hard Rock Hotel Times Square that paid tribute to throwback silver screen stars. Fashion designer Marc Bouwer designed her dress while notable attendees included Ramona Singer, Dottie Herman, Sharon Bush, Cheri Kaufman, Debbie Dickinson and Toni Radziwill.