Leslie Knope

Leslie Barbara Knope (/ˈnoʊp/ NOHP) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is portrayed by Amy Poehler. For most of the shows run, she serves as Deputy Director of the Parks and Recreation Department of the fictional Pawnee, Indiana. Knope is an over-achiever and believes the government should serve people. 2Background Knope was born on January 18, 1975 (S4: E3) in Eagleton, Indiana and has lived in Pawnee, Indiana since infancy. According to the show's timeline, her father died in 1983 (S5: E14). She was inspired to pursue a life of public service by the community programs she enjoyed as a child. While attending Pawnee North High School she served as Co-Vice President of the student body and participated in several student organizations including the Model United Nations, Debate Club, Mock Trial, Young Republicans, Young Democrats and Young Independents, which she founded. She graduated in the top five percent of her high school class and summa cum laude from Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). In the first three seasons, Leslie is the Deputy in Pawnee's Parks and Recreation Department, a mid-level bureaucratic position; in season 4, she successfully campaigns to become a member of the city counci