diff --git a/backend/apps/owasp/models/common.py b/backend/apps/owasp/models/common.py
index 0089098858..27ba8dd6b4 100644
--- a/backend/apps/owasp/models/common.py
+++ b/backend/apps/owasp/models/common.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def get_leaders(self):
         leaders = []
         try:
             for line in content.split("\n"):
-                leaders.extend(re.findall(r"[-*]\s*\[([^\]]+)\](?:\([^)]*\))?", line))
+                leaders.extend(re.findall(r"[-*]\s*\[\s*([^(]+?\S)(?:\s*\([^)]*\))?\s*\]", line))
         except AttributeError:
             logger.exception(
                 "Unable to parse leaders.md content", extra={"URL": self.leaders_md_url}
diff --git a/backend/tests/owasp/models/common_test.py b/backend/tests/owasp/models/common_test.py
index 987fd6b055..5f2768b1b5 100644
--- a/backend/tests/owasp/models/common_test.py
+++ b/backend/tests/owasp/models/common_test.py
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@ class TestRepositoryBasedEntityModel:
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
         ("content", "expected_leaders"),
         [
-            ("* [Leader1](https://example.com)", ["Leader1"]),
+            ("- [Leader1](https://example.com)", ["Leader1"]),
             (
-                "* [Leader1](https://example.com)\n* [Leader2](https://example.com)",
-                ["Leader1", "Leader2"],
+                "* [Leader one (Chapter Lead)](https://example.com)\n* [Leader two  (Faculty Advisor)](https://example.com)",
+                ["Leader one", "Leader two"],
             ),
             ("", []),
         ],