Raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Lea studied Fine Arts at the University of Stellenbosch but upon graduation decided to move back to the wild, where she started her career as a game lodge manager in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. After being offered a position in Moscow with a top PR, below-the-line and communications consulting firm, she worked in Russia for three years with top international FMCG brands. During this time of newfound capitalism and opportunity, she discovered and perfected her skills as a networker and social butterfly. However, her love for South Africa led her home, where she worked in marketing, advertising, and trend forecasting. Back in her home country, coupled with her ability to connect people to business solutions, she founded Connect-123 Internship & Volunteer Programs with her husband, whom she had met during her years living in Moscow. In 2009 Lea and her family moved to Buenos Aires to expand Connect-123 and lived there for 2 years while Lea discovered another passion, that of playing polo! Today she is living in Barcelona, Spain, establishing another of the Connect-123 offices abroad. Connect-123 has offices in Cape Town, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Dublin, Shanghai and Sydney.