Leanne grew up in Northern Ireland before going to Cambridge to read History and, after a year teaching in India, completing a PGCE there. She taught History for several years in Edinburgh before returning to Northern Ireland where she completed a PhD at Ulster University.
Leanne is a Senior Lecturer in Modern Irish Social History and Director of the Centre for the History of Medicine in Ireland at Ulster University. In January 2021, alongside Professor Sean O’Connell, QUB, she published a research report entitled ‘Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries in Northern Ireland 1922-1990’. Her research interests include women's history, history of sexuality and history of medicine in Ireland/Northern Ireland and she has published widely in these areas. She is the co-founder of the Bad Bridget Project and co-investigator on the Queer NI Project.