Think Like a LEEder: Senior Leader Virtual Roundtable Series

Are you ready to “Think Like a LEEder?”
The 2026 Think Like a LEEDer virtual roundtable series was developed in response to direct member input, and feedback from LEE’s annual senior leader conference surveys. Topics align with LEE’s Senior Leader competencies, and address critical executive needs, including succession planning, career pivots from governance to policy, leadership-level fundraising, and moving from operations to upstream policy influence.

Series Overview

The Think Like a LEEDer Virtual Roundtable Series is a twice-monthly space held on Zoom where LEE members who are experienced policy and advocacy leaders come together to:

• Talk through real leadership challenges
• Share insights and best practices
• Connect with other senior LEE members who understand their work
• Engage in peer-to-peer learning rather than expert presentation
• Build strategic networks across the education sector

Member Benefits

• Peer-to-peer learning rather than expert presentation
• Real-time problem-solving on current challenges
• Network expansion through strategic introductions
• Resource sharing from collective member expertise
• Action orientation with concrete next steps
• Flexible scheduling with twice-monthly options (First Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM ET and Third Thursday afternoons at 3:00 PM ET)

What Makes This Different
This series continues to prioritize peer-to-peer exchange over expert presentation, reducing isolation and fostering actionable problem-solving. Participants spend most of each 60-minute session in small group discussions (3-5 people) rather than listening to presentations.

Tuesday, August 20, 2026
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET

Fundraising is a core executive leadership competency.

How do you move from ‘asking for money’ to ‘building strategic investment partnerships’?

Join fellow senior leaders to discuss the art of the executive ask, aligning fundraising with organizational values, and communicating your equity impact in ways that resonate with major institutional funders. This isn’t about development tactics-it’s about leadership-level fundraising strategy.

What to Expect:

• Strategies for positioning fundraising as strategic partnership
• Approaches to communicating equity impact to institutional funders
• Small group discussions on real fundraising challenges
• Examples from peers who’ve successfully led major fundraising efforts

Who Should Attend:
Senior leaders responsible for fundraising, development strategy, or major donor relationships.

About LEE
Teach for America is a partner of LEE, a nonpartisan network of leaders at all stage of life and career. LEE equips members with the tools, resources, and industry knowledge needed to take collective action and create change in their communities – whether through policymaking, elected leadership, advocacy, or grassroots organizing. LEE provides 1:1 coaching, meaningful member-to-member connections, and skill-building opportunities that support and inspire members to increase access and opportunity in their communities. LEE membership is available to all Teach For America corps members, alumni, and staff. If you have not activated your membership or have not updated your account, get started here.