Leesl Herman

Founder, Chief Executive Officer

Leesl Herman has worked in the field of sex offender management for over 2 decades. She began coordinating a small contract for juvenile parolees in 2004 that rapidly grew into one of the largest out-patient sex offender treatment programs in California.

She developed and served as Administrative Director for a specialized 6-bed sex offender placement facility for transitional-aged youth for 7 years. This unique facility and its pilot program provided a wide range of reentry services from education to job skills training and life skills development. Leesl contributed to the development of a comprehensive out-of-home placement policy and procedure protocol for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice. Over the past 20 years, Leesl has developed a diverse range of programs and protocols to address the complex and varying needs of perpetrators of sexual violence and those with sexual behavior problems. As Regional Director of Southern California for a large incorporated private practice, she managed contracts with local, state, and federal agencies to provide treatment and management services to their clients.  

In 2014, she founded Anew Therapeutic Services, Inc. to build a program that followed the Guidelines of the California Sex Offender Management Board (CASOMB), and delivers treatment & management services following the Risk Needs, Respnosivity Model (RNR). This agency has served over 1000 clients in the past decade and continues to grow and innovate in the way they reach and treat their clients.

She believes that clinicians engaged in this important work must attend to their health and wellness, supporting the development of training and practices within ATS. Since 2008 Leesl has been a member of the Board of Directors for the California Coalition on Sexual Offending (CCOSO), chairing multiple statewide training conferences, serving as Chairperson for 2011-2012, and remained on the Board of Directors until the organization sunset in 2024.  In May 2014 she was awarded the Fay Honey Knopp award "in recognition & Appreciation for outstanding leadership and dedication to CCOSO".

Leesl is a founding member of the Board of Directors for CalATSA, the California Chapter of the Association for the prevention & Treatment of Sexual Abuse, (ATSA).