Dr. Tracy Leskey holds a Ph.D. degree in entomology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Massachusetts; a M.S. degree in ecology from the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania; and a B.S .degree from Wilson College, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. She has been employed by the USDA-ARS, AFRS, in Kearneysville as a Research Entomologist and as Laboratory Director. Her research has focused on development of behaviorally based management tools for invasive and native pests of fruit crops.
She has published over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, two patents, and over 40 other publications including book chapters and proceeding articles. She served as a liaison to the House Agricultural Appropriations Committee, providing numerous updates on the pest status of and research progress on the invasive brown marmorated stink bug. She has supervised numerous postdocs and graduate students.
Dr. Leskey has been interviewed by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR and appeared live on Fox News and C-SPAN and has done several stories with National Geographic. As the lead Project Director, she has secured over $14 million in extramural funding. She is a Subject Editor for Environmental Entomology, a member of the Entomological Society of America Special Committee on Governance, and past president of the ESA Eastern Branch.