[2] Leal attended University of California, Berkeley, where she received a bachelor's degree in economics in 1971 and a Juris Doctor in 1975.

From 1976 to 1982, Leal was a staff attorney for the United States House Committee Interstate and Foreign Commerce subcommittee.

[1] From 1997 to 2004, Leal served as Treasurer of San Francisco, the City and County's banker and chief investment officer, winning re-election in 2001.

[9] Leal spearheaded the city's e-commerce initiative, which was named one of the top e-government projects nationwide and helped launched the nation's first audio ATM for the visually impaired.

[11] During her term, Leal implemented SFGreasecycle – a biodiesel fuel program that collects waste oil and grease to run San Francisco's fleet of vehicles and keep it out of the city's sewer system.

[18] Although the board did not cite a reason, Commissioner Dick Sklar expressed disappointment in Leal's handling of the power plant negotiations.

[6] Leal joined Harvard University as a senior fellow of the Advanced Leadership Initiative, where she researched the delivery of potable water and treatment of wastewater in communities worldwide.