SPOTLIGHT: LESLIE PITTERSON
Global Communications & Public Affairs, Google
Leslie Pitterson is a corporate affairs and communications executive with more than 15 years of experience advising organizations through periods of growth and transformation. She is Head of Corporate & Financial Communications at Block, where she leads corporate reputation, financial communications, and strategic initiatives across the business. Her work includes supporting corporate development, M&A, restructuring, and regulatory and policy matters across Block’s brands, including Cash App, Square, and Afterpay. She also oversees executive communications for senior leadership and helps shape investor narratives and corporate storytelling.
Prior to Block, Leslie held communications leadership roles at Microsoft, Google, Nielsen, and Morgan Stanley. She began her career as a United Nations correspondent.
Leslie is a supporter of several cultural and community organizations, including the New York Botanical Garden and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at The New York Public Library. She holds a Master’s degree in Communications from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s degree in History from The George Washington University.
Why she does what she does I’ve always been drawn to roles that sit at the intersection of business, leadership, and culture. Communications gives me the opportunity to help organizations navigate complex moments while creating clarity for the people they serve. I enjoy work that requires both strategy and intuition, and I’ve been fortunate to build a career that draws on both.
Drawn to NYWICI
No one builds a career alone. Over the years, I’ve benefited from mentors, sponsors, and peers who shared their experience and real feedback. NYWICI creates opportunities for those relationships while helping women access the tools, community, and confidence they need to grow in their careers.
Why she joined the Communications committee — and why other members should get involved too
I was drawn to NYWICI because it brings together women across different parts of communications who are all navigating similar challenges in their work. It’s a community where people share ideas, learn from each other, and stay connected to how the field is evolving. I’ve found it to be both grounding and energizing.
Communications’ biggest challenge
The challenge today is less about getting information out and more about helping people make sense of what they’re seeing. The speed of news, the rise of AI-generated content, and fragmented media channels mean audiences are constantly processing information without always having context. Communications now is really about clarity, credibility, and judgment in a noisy environment.
Off the clock, really
Much of my time outside of work is spent restoring my 1901 landmarked brownstone. Outside of that I love mornings in the garden, evenings at museums, or hosting dinner parties for friends and family.
Her nirvana
The flower market at 5am. Most serene part of my week.
Did you know
I grew up in my parents’ print shop in the Bronx and learned to type by helping with different jobs for customers in our neighborhood. To this day, you might catch me speed typing press releases and talking points using two fingers.
Words to live by
Learn to honor who you are so you don’t feel unworthy of what you need.
— Linda Descano
