Leigh Strope

Chief External Affairs Officer

As Senior Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer at Southwest Transplant Alliance (STA), Leigh Strope combines the power of strong communication with a deep commitment to mission-driven work. Leigh leads STA’s external strategy, shaping the nonprofit’s voice through outreach to stakeholders, hospital partners and the broader community. She works to elevate awareness of donation, support donor families, strengthen understanding of transplantation and build partnerships that advance the mission of transforming lives.

A seasoned communications executive and former national journalist, Leigh brings more than three decades of experience helping organizations tell their stories, navigate complex issues and build trust with key audiences. She began her career as a journalist for more than a decade covering business, politics and national policy, including serving as a national reporter for The Associated Press in Washington, D.C., following her roles reporting at the Dallas Business Journal, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Tulsa World. She left journalism to lead external and crisis communications for the Teamsters Union in Washington, D.C., working at the nexus of high-stakes politics and public policy.

Leigh later moved into leadership roles at the global communications firm Burson-Marsteller, counseling companies and nonprofits on media strategy, crisis communications and executive visibility. Her extensive healthcare communications experience comes from previous roles at CHRISTUS Health, HCA Healthcare and GRAIL Inc.

Throughout her career, Leigh has built strong relationships with journalists at local, regional and national levels. She is known for fostering community engagement and enhancing partnerships that advance the mission of Southwest Transplant Alliance to save and heal lives through the gift of organ and tissue donation.