A little over 20 years ago, Leslie Sabbath decided to let her intuition guide her, and leave the world of academia where she cultivated her passions for counseling and developing career paths. The senior vice president of human resources for Comerica Bank also works as the director of human resources and employee relations and policy management for the bank’s Texas market. “I worked at the University of Michigan and the University of Detroit where my experience was in counseling. I was working with the college students at those two universities; helping them with their career choices … [when] I decided to go [to work in corporate America]. I was able to transfer the skills that I gained at the universities to Comerica,” explains Sabbath.
In her professional capacity she works with staff and senior leaders at Comerica’s Dallas headquarters, where she is actively involved on several community boards, including The Center for Nonprofit Management. “[The Center] is an organization that is dedicated to helping other nonprofits. It is an excellent board and their mission is to make other nonprofits effective and viable,” Sabbath shares.
“I think people of color in professional positions have to be involved — not only because of the responsibilities, but because it’s personally gratifying,” she says of the importance of board membership.
Sabbath earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Western Michigan University. She began working on a doctorate degree at Wayne State University with a focus on African American women in the workplace when she decided to change course and pursue an interest in law. After 10 years with Comerica, Sabbath returned to college and earned a Juris Doctor.
An avid African American art collector, Sabbath also serves on the North Texas Business for Culture and Arts board. –yvette caslin
