Elizabeth Leonard
Elizabeth Dermody Leonard is Professor of Sociology at Vanguard University of Southern California and co-founder with Sherilyn Benvenuti of The Center for Women’s Studies. The Center serves the special needs of women in their places of ministry, work, the academy and the home. Because of the inclusion of women into leadership positions within early Pentecostal history, this Center located on the Vanguard campus offers a unique opportunity to provide an historical and biblical continuum to encourage and educate women of faith.
Dr. Leonard’s areas of specialization include family violence, gender and crime, and the sociology of women. Among her publications is the groundbreaking book Convicted Survivors: The Imprisonment of Battered Women Who Kill. The awards made to Dr. Leonard include the Outstanding Faculty Award, Vanguard University, 2006-2007 and 1999-2000, and the Soroptimist International of Irvine Making a Difference for Women Award in 2003. She was also featured in a Vanguard University article, “Fighting for the Forgotten,” in Winter 2002.
