Leadership in Memphis

Lesley Brown Rawlings is a proven nonprofit leader, talent strategist and equity champion who is committed to equipping schools and communities with the resources necessary to flourish and thrive. As the Executive Director for City Year Memphis, she is focused on cultivating the partnerships and pipelines essential to building a strong and impactful corps. A Chicago native, Lesley has called Memphis home for the past 13 years. During that time, her love for the city has grown, and alongside it, her commitment to a comprehensive approach to opportunity and equity for all its communities.

Lesley was most recently the Vice President of Strategy for Beloved Community. In this role she directed the organization’s multi-year vision for programming and partnerships designed to advance sustainable pathways for racial and economic equity. Previously she has served as Director of People and Practice Investments for the Memphis Education Fund, as well as the Chief People Officer for the ASD-Achievement Schools. In both roles, Lesley has advanced policies and strategies to attract, train and retain educators and leaders equipped to cultivate belonging and thriving for the children of Memphis.

In addition, Lesley has a degree in Management Information Systems with a minor in Technology and Management from the University of Illinois as well as an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. She is an alumnus of the Broad Residency in Urban Education, as well as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and The Links, Inc. She currently resides in Memphis, TN with her husband and son.