McLeod went to
New York City and
Havergal College to work as an elementary school teacher. McLeod founded the North American base of Cheshire Homes in 1970. The first Canadian Cheshire Home opened was McLeod House in 1972, which was named after her. After the opening of McLeod House, she started the
Clarendon Foundation in
Toronto and extended her work to other parts of Ontario including
Streetsville, Mississauga and
Belleville, Ontario. During her time at Cheshire Homes, she was on the developing committee for the organization, and founded over twenty Cheshire Homes. Outside of her work with Cheshire Homes, McLeod co-founded the
Ontario Federation for the Physically Handicapped. ==Awards and honours==