Ashlee Lewis
Member of the Board of Directors
Ashlee Lewis is the CEO and founder of Rising Initiative Consulting, a firm dedicated to strengthening nonprofits and advancing equity across the sector. Rising Initiative Consulting partners with Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and disability-led nonprofit leaders to build capacity, strengthen infrastructure, and expand access to sustainable funding. Through strategic guidance and organizational development, the firm supports leaders in growing resilient organizations that create lasting, community-driven impact. Its mission is rooted in addressing funding disparities and ensuring that historically under-resourced leaders have the tools and resources needed to lead transformative change. The vision is a future where BIPOCD nonprofit leaders thrive, are well-resourced, and are fully positioned to maximize their impact.
Ashlee brings more than eleven years of nonprofit experience, having advanced from an entry-level, part-time role to Executive Director. She specializes in nonprofit growth strategy, helping organizations strengthen operations, align programs with measurable outcomes, and increase funding readiness. Her work has focused on marginalized communities, with particular emphasis on racial justice, disability justice, and gender equity.
In addition to her leadership experience, Ashlee has served on multiple nonprofit boards and participated in government and foundation funding committees and focus groups, providing her with a deep understanding of how funding decisions are made. She holds a background in sociology and psychology, with an emphasis in ethnic studies, which informs her equity-centered and systems-level approach to nonprofit consulting.