People. Place. Possibility.
Abby Lehman is a connector, advisor, and amplifier of those shaping what's next — from local communities to the global stage.
Meet Abby →From city blocks to global forums, Abby convenes leaders, artists, and advocates who are ready to reimagine what's possible. She designs the connective tissue — strategies, structures, stories and relationships — that transform big ideas into shared progress.
What ties it all together? A belief that the future is built by those bold enough to imagine it.
- 15+ Years across social enterprise, philanthropy & public-private partnerships
- 4th Generation New Yorker
- Global Work spanning New York to Nairobi
A champion of for-purpose leadership
Abby Lehman is a connector, advisor, and amplifier of people shaping what's next.
A champion of for-purpose leadership, she bridges capital, creativity, and community to build systems and stories that prioritize purpose over profit — and people over position.
With more than 15 years of experience across social enterprise, philanthropy, and public-private partnerships, Abby helps leaders get into the rooms where decisions are made — and ensures the stories behind their work are seen, heard, and resourced.
Abby Lehman is a fourth-generation New Yorker, a strategic advisor, and a master connector whose work bridges capital, creativity, and community for transformational impact. With a career spanning over 15 years across global nonprofit leadership, social entrepreneurship, and regenerative business, she has helped visionary founders, policy advocates, and creative changemakers secure the resources and relationships they need to amplify their influence.
Abby is a champion of for-purpose leadership — the kind that channels wealth, imagination, and humanity into work that serves the greatest and highest good. Her efforts have supported climate elders shaping policy at the United Nations, youth peacebuilders in Kenya gaining international platforms, and artists and entrepreneurs revitalizing local neighborhoods from New York to Nairobi.
At the core of all she does, Abby prioritizes purpose over profit, and people over position. She specializes in aligning investment with values, building trust-based ecosystems, and amplifying narrative as a tool for systemic change.
As a sought-after collaborator, Abby has advised family offices, cultural institutions, global campaigns, and cross-sector working groups. Whether she's leading a place-based legacy initiative like NYC400 or mentoring the next generation of change agents, her mission remains constant: to co-create a more equitable, beautiful, and connected world.
Aligning people, place, and purpose
Every project Abby takes on is rooted in a deep belief: that lasting change happens when we align people, place, and purpose. Here are a few highlights from a portfolio career built on aligning vision with action.
NYC400 Working Group
A citywide legacy initiative commemorating New York's 400th anniversary through cross-sector partnerships, public storytelling, and community-driven activation. Abby is convening and co-leading the effort to ensure the milestone uplifts the voices, cultures, and communities that define the city she is proud to call home.
- Bringing together a diverse working group of artists, business leaders, and civic advocates
- Developing a vision framework rooted in equity, remembrance, and imagination for the future
- Spearheading ideation around programming, public engagement, and cultural legacy
- Creating strategy for place-based storytelling and activation across all five boroughs
Peacebuilding in Kenya
Abby supported the transformation of Peter "2Sharp" Wambua — from Nairobi gang leader to youth peacebuilder and national democracy advocate.
- Provided mentorship and strategic guidance to support civic leadership development
- Helped amplify youth-led movements like The Police Is My Brother
- Supported global advocacy efforts and inclusion in international peace talks
- Collaborated on public storytelling to shift narratives and foster healing
- Recognized internationally through documentaries and policy panels
Year of Return Africa — Kenya
A diasporic cultural and economic event inspired by Ghana's historic 2019 campaign. Abby serves as a strategic advisor for Kenya's 2024 activation.
- Advising on cross-sector strategy to connect global diasporic communities with the continent
- Collaborating with Photo Start to deliver a youth storytelling and photography masterclass
- Focusing on innovation, youth empowerment, and African pride through skill-building
- Supporting fundraising and partnership development to scale long-term impact
Photo Start
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit co-founded and governed by Abby Lehman that empowers underserved youth through photography, visual storytelling, and digital skills training.
- Operates across Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, the U.S., and beyond
- Offers training in both the artistic and entrepreneurial aspects of photography
- Builds creative confidence and career readiness in youth from marginalized communities
- Holds UN Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC, reinforcing global credibility and reach
Abby's portfolio also includes Syzygy Cities, a pandemic-era public-private initiative aligning developers, artists, and civic stakeholders around inclusive neighborhood revitalization in Chicago and NYC — early-stage, long-horizon work reflective of the patient partnerships government-facing projects require.
Where capital meets social impact
Abby connects capital and social impact — hosting and shaping the high-level convenings where the two meet. A selection of the rooms she has helped build:
Forced Perspective
Helped organize an investor event alongside the Emmy Award–winning casting director behind Forced Perspective.
Unlocking Global Diaspora Capital
Moderated a panel on unlocking capital from the global African diaspora, and introduced YORA's leaders to two major forces behind global film festivals — Tribeca founder Craig Hatkoff and Bruno Smajda.
Two Panels, Twice "Phenomenal"
Moderated two panels at the UN Commission on the Status of Women's 69th session, drawing praise as "phenomenal" — twice.
Capital at the Intersection of Tech & Wellbeing
Hosted a subject-matter convening bringing together family office advisors and changemakers working at the intersection of technology, digital wellness, and mental health — accelerating fundraising and synthesizing efforts across the continental US and Europe.
Strategic Advisor, Headliners Series
Convening individuals focused on capital and its most impactful allocation, as a strategic advisor to the Headliners Series.
Legacy work close to her heart.
The M.E.L. Memorial Fund
A dedicated fund carrying forward a legacy of memory and meaning — supporting the causes it was built to serve.
Learn More →NYPD & First Responders
A dedicated space honoring the service of New York's first responders and the communities they protect.
Learn More →Press, podcasts, and partners
Abby's work and Photo Start's impact have been featured across podcasts, strategic advisory circles, global convenings, and press — with UN Special Consultative Status granted to Photo Start by ECOSOC in 2022.
The Impossible Network, The CRU, Julie Reisler, and more
Knock Knock Give a Sock, My Good Point, Olami
Global press coverage and partner organizations
Women of Vision, Resolution Project, UBS, Sustained Dialogue
Ready to bring people, place, and possibility together?
Whether it's a convening, a partnership, or a project ready to move — Abby is a message away.