Espresso Shot 9 with Leslie Ruyle

Dr. Leslie Ruyle is a Research Scientist in the Department of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government & Public Service. She is an ecologist working across disciplines to create innovative solutions for conservation, conflict, and development. She holds a PhD in Ecology from the University of Georgia, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana, West Africa, and has managed university-based initiatives for NSF and USAID. Having lived in four countries and traveled to over 80 countries in her career, she has broad experience in international applied conservation and research including stints at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute-Panama, Honduran Coral Reef Foundation, Applied Biodiversity Science Program, Earthwatch, and the Center on Conflict and Development. Her work has been recognized with the UN’s Equator Prize Initiative and Dean’s Award for Interdisciplinary teams. Currently, she is building a program in DRC focused on supporting entrepreneurship in regions of conflict, conservation concern, and limited connectivity (EC3). She leads an interdisciplinary team of faculty and students on "The Boom and Bust Economics of Ebola in Beni, DRC".

Sarah Chrastecky is the director of the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center, where she oversees all aspects of the operation.

Chrastecky graduated from Texas Lutheran University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art and a minor in psychology. Upon graduation, she moved to the Bryan/College Station area.

In the summer of 2009, Chrastecky began working for the APCC and caught the industry bug. During this time, she had the opportunity to expand her knowledge and passion by attending and graduating from the IAVM Venue Management School. In October of 2012, she transitioned to an associate director position for Chartwells Catering at Texas A&M University to continue her experience and business interests. She returned to the APCC as the manager in the summer of 2015. In February of 2017, she stepped in as interim director until June of 2018, when she accepted the director position.

Chrastecky is the mother of two beautiful boys and wife to a golf course superintendent. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, game nights, family movie nights and entertainment provided by sarcastic 10 and 4-year-olds.

Tracy ‘TJ’ Hefti is originally from Houston, Texas, and joined the APCC in 2018. She has over 10 years of experience in various service industry roles and is excited to bring those skills to Texas A&M. TJ has her Certified Meeting Professionals (CMP) certification, as well as the Certified Professional in Management certification (AMA-CPM). In her free time she enjoys creating art, exploring and supporting local cuisines and spending time with her family.