Marie Burleigh has worked in the West Virginia Higher Education System for more than 20 years, primarily in areas that have to do with institutional advancement and image. She used her BS in journalism for a four year stint in commercial television news before moving on to video production for West Virginia University. In addition to seven years on WVU's main campus in Morgantown, she also spent four years at West Virginia State College (now University) in Institute, WV and has been the public relations specialist at WVU Jackson's Mill since October 1996.

Marie pledged the Omicron chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi at WVU in the fall of 1978. She chaired the host committee for the 1980 District IX convention before becoming a life member in the fall of 1980. As an alum, she was a founding brother of the District IX Alumni Association of Kappa Kappa Psi- the forerunner of the Northeast District Alumni Association. She served as secretary/treasurer and several terms as president of the NEDAA, and has continued to be involved on the district and national levels of the fraternity as requested. She was first appointed NED Governor by Dr. Kirk Randazzo in 2001.