Bert Leaverton was born and raised in Dawson County, Nebraska and graduated from Cozad High School in 1978. After high school, she joined the Army National Guard and remained affiliated with the Army and Army Reserve for more than twenty years. Throughout her life, photography has remained her passion. Bert's deployment to Iraq 2003-2004 allowed her to return with hundreds of photographs, documenting history through her eyes.

In 2010, Bert returned to school and in 2014, she graduated with high honors from Metro Community College, Elkhorn, NE with an Associate's Degree in Commercial Still Photography. Bert lives with husband, James Leaverton and Mom, Alice Cunningham outside of Weeping Water, NE.

Her current work, "Tour of Duty:Iraq" is a series of dioramas in minature, 1/35th scale that depict the realities of war with images of "soldiers" in various scenarios. Bert has been actively involved in several gallery and museum exhibitions to include; The Apollon Gallery, Omaha, NE, New Century Art Guild, Kimballton, IA, Commonwealth Gallery, Elkhorn, NE, Robert Henri Gallery, Cozad, NE, SHOUT! For Women Veteran's 7th Annual Art Exhibition, San Francisco, CA, 100th Meridian Museum, Cozad, NE, Veteran's Memorial Building, Danville, CA, RG Endres Gallery, Prairie Village, KS, Pure Pursuit Gallery, Kansas City, MO and most recently the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE.