Fr. Leland grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he attended Carnegie Mellon University. After completing a B.S. in Computer Science, he completed an M.S. in Robotics. While pursuing his masters' degree, Fr. Leland entered into full communion with the Church, receiving the sacraments of Confirmation and First Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil in 2010 at St. Paul's Cathedral in Pittsburgh.

After working for a few years as a programmer, Fr. Leland began formation with the Oblates of the Virgin Mary in 2014. As part of his formation process, he was licensed as a spiritual director through the Lanteri Center in Denver, CO. He completed an M.Div. in Theology and an M.A. in Spiritual Theology at St. John's Seminary in Boston, and was ordained to the priesthood in 2022. His first assignment was at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton, IL, where he served as parochial vicar and chaplain at the nearby Marquette Catholic High School.