She began her food industry career in 1987 as a Process Development Engineer with Kraft Foods and has progressively expanded to a broad range of food innovation, research, and education/technology transfer roles across a range of science and technology platforms.

She has planned, designed, managed and delivered R&D/innovation, consulting, training, mentoring and technology transfer programs in private, industry and public sector organisations. She has extensive experience managing multi-disciplined/multi-organisational teams/projects. In 2002, in collaboration with representatives from RMIT's Centre for Design and Victoria University's Packaging and Polymer Research Unit, Leanne initiated the establishment of SPA as a focal point to facilitate the development of Sustainable Packaging by Australian businesses