Irene Leech is an associate professor of consumer studies in the Department of Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management at Virginia Tech. Through her involvement in the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, she has testified before state legislative and regulatory bodies and served on study committees for governors and the legislature. She has served on federal food safety and telecommunications consumer advisory groups. Working in coalition with grassroots consumer organizations across the nation and active on social media, her letters to the editor, op eds, and blog comments contribute to public discourse on consumer policy issues. Her content focus is on consumer pocketbook issues and citizen involvement. In recent years, in addition to predatory lending, insurance, and other personal finance issues, much of her work has addressed energy issues and landowner property rights.