Leslie Haines, professor, earned an MFA in graphic design at Marywood University and an MA in advertising design at Syracuse University. She comes to MTSU from the Art Institute of Tennessee-Nashville, where she was academic director of the graphic & web design and advertising programs. She also served as chair of graphic design at Watkins College of Art, Design and Film, building their award-winning BFA in Graphic Design program.

Prior to becoming an educator, Haines worked in upstate New York at The Syracuse Newspapers and in Nashville at The Tennessean in the marketing and advertising departments. For over two decades, Haines has run her own advertising and design business where she works with a roster of local and national clients including musicians, hospitals, retail, film and newspaper-industry publications. She currently provides advertising design for The Free Speech Center and artists such as Kenney Chesney and Shawn Mendes through The Messina Group. Two of her hat designs were sold at Target stores nationwide and she designed the most recent arts license plate for the state of Tennessee. Haines has been the recipient of 19 ADDY awards, the American Advertising Federation "Teacher of the Year" for 7th District and serves as a judge for ADDY competitions across the country.

In addition to her design work, Haines has been recognized internationally for her digital collage work, most notably her "Animal Abecedary" series. This sophisticated alphabet has exhibited in such places as Nashville International Airport, Cairns Queensland in Australia, and her "Animal Abecedary" book, published in 2017, now resides in the permanent collection at University of Oxford in their Bodleian Libraries. 

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Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC) Design Thinking Conference Presenter, 2018

American Advertising Federation (AAF) ADDY Competition judge, Huntsville, AL 2018

Journalism Interactive Conference, “The Making of an iPad App” presentation, 2015

Tennessee Press Association Conference, presentation on design, 2014 

Ensworth School, 2-Day Arts Process Workshop, 2014

AIGA Dish Conference, Portfolio Judge—February 2012, 2013

American Advertising Federation (AAF) ADDY Competition judge, Tampa, FL 2011

American Advertising Federation (AAF) ADDY Competition judge, Huntsville, AL 2009

UCDA Educators Summit, Keynote Address Lecturer, Nashville, TN 2005

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AEJMC Best of Design Competition– Faculty Division; 1 Gold Award, 2 Silver Awards, 2 Bronze Awards, 1 First Place Award, 1 Second Place Award, 2021

Southeast Colloquium (SEC) Creative Contest, Gold Award, WMOT logo, 1 for All campaign, 2021

MTSU Public Service Grant for “The Real Wonder Women” series  $1,400, 2017–2018

AEJMC’s Best of the Web/Best of Digital Competition, third place, 2015

FRCAC Creative Project Grant  $5,520, 2014

Instructional Technology Development Grant  $3,796, 2014

Tennessee Arts Commission license plate design competition winner, 2013

American Advertising Federation (AAF) District 7 Donald G. Hileman Memorial Award, 2008

American Advertising Federation (AAF) “Teacher of the Year,7th District” 2007

Dallas Society of Visual Communicators “Golden Apple Educator of the Year Award” 2006

12 Regional American Advertising Federation ADDY awards, 7 ADDY Excellence Awards 1987–2006

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Haines explores digital collage in her personal design work. From 2014–2015, she developed a 26-piece illustrative series called "Animal Abecedary." The alphabet series explores storytelling through letterpress type, original drawings, old book pages, texture and color. Not your typical alphabet, the imagery is at once sophisticated and playful, appealing to adults and children alike. "Animal Abecedary" has been selected for juried exhibitions in national and international art shows and museums including the Frist Art Museum, Artclectic at University School, and Nashville International Airport. Her work was also selected for exhibition in a juried show in Cairns, Queensland and is now available as a book from Schiffer Publishing, available on amazon.com. The book most recently exhibited at University of Oxford and now resides in the permanent collection in their Bodleian Libraries. 

Haines has also created a series of digital collage portraits of breast cancer survivors titled "The Real Wonder Women." These images are personal reflections of each woman that reflect her joys, her passions, her inspirations, and where she derives her strength. The portraits are printed on 20- by 20-inch canvases and each woman receives a copy of her portrait as a reminder to remain strong. Haines has obtained grant money for the printing of these portraits. The series exhibited in Nasvhille International Airport in 2020.

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