FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A local leader who teaches, supports, and helps new leaders succeed is the 2025 Remarkable Woman of the year for the Wabash Valley.
Every year, WTWO holds a Remarkable Women contest. Viewers are asked to nominate a remarkable woman they know. After receiving dozens of nominations, a panel of judges chose Rachel Leslie as the 2025 winner.
Leslie is the founder of RJL Solutions. The company started with an office in Terre Haute and has grown to include offices in Indianapolis and Evansville.
“When she started putting all of these great young leaders around her, and they got excited, it just ballooned to what it is today,” said Rick Burger with Duke Energy.
Among the things Leslie’s company does is help local governments and organizations make connections with state and federal lawmakers. It allows a community’s wants and needs be known, and in return, those needs can hopefully be met.
“It’s really nice to have a partner in everything we’re working on, and that’s what Rachael provides,” said President and CEO of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce Kristin Craig.
Besides helping communities and organizations achieve their goals, Leslie also helps her friends make their dreams come true.
Susan Turner is the Director of the Terre Haute Children’s Museum. Nearly a decade ago, she received the news that it would be very difficult for her and her husband to ever have a baby.
“I went to Rachel and I told her what the doctors had said and I said, I don’t know how we’re ever going to afford to adopt a baby because it’s really expensive and she said, don’t worry about the money, we’ll figure it out,” explained Susan Turner.
Turner says Leslie held a fundraiser at her house. The $3,000 raised was seed money Turner and her husband needed to adopt Max. He became their son at four days old and that was more than 7 years ago.
It was for all of these things and many others that Rachel Leslie was nominated as a Remarkable Woman.
“It’s not something that you don’t think is going to happen during your lifetime,” added Rachel Leslie.
As the winner of WTWO’s Remarkable Women contest, $1,000 will be donated to the charity of Leslie’s choice. She will also be flown to Los Angeles, to be part of the National Remarkable Women’s contest sponsored by Nexstar Broadcasting. The winner of the national contest gets $25,000 donated to a charity of her choice.
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