Lee Hays brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in fundraising, philanthropy, higher education, financial services, and the nonprofit sector. An experienced advancement leader, strategist, and certified coach, Lee helps organizations strengthen their fundraising strategies, build philanthropic relationships, and develop the leadership and organizational capacity needed to achieve their goals. Her approach is grounded in a simple belief: meaningful change happens when people come together around a shared purpose, build trusting relationships, and turn bold ideas into action.
Before joining Global Philanthropic, Lee served as Executive Director of Advancement at Ontario Tech University, where she led the launch of the university’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, Tech With a Conscience, and helped achieve record fundraising growth. During her tenure, the university celebrated several significant philanthropic milestones, including its first donor-endowed Chair, donor-named Research Centre, and donor-named Faculty. Lee played a central role in major gift fundraising, donor cultivation and stewardship, corporate partnerships, campaign strategy, case development, communications, and building a collaborative, high-performing advancement team.
Previously, Lee spent 17 years at Trent University in leadership roles spanning alumni relations, donor engagement, annual giving, communications, and campaign management. She helped strengthen a culture of philanthropy, engage volunteers and community partners, and advance significant fundraising initiatives. Earlier in her career, Lee held senior leadership positions in financial services, where she designed and delivered national coaching, adult learning, and leadership development programs.
Lee’s commitment to positive change also extends to environmental sustainability and regenerative approaches to complex social and ecological challenges. Through her leadership with Common Earth, including serving as Vice President, she has helped develop partnerships and collaborative networks across Canada and internationally. This experience has deepened her understanding of cross-sector collaboration, systems thinking, and the role of philanthropy in advancing innovative solutions.
Lee brings a distinctive combination of fundraising expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership development to her consulting work. She supports nonprofit and charitable organizations with fund development planning, fundraising assessments, major gift strategies, campaign planning, and strengthening board and leadership engagement in fundraising. Drawing on her experience in executive coaching and facilitation, she helps organizations identify opportunities, align people around shared priorities, and develop practical strategies for sustainable fundraising success.
Known for her collaborative, engaging, and action-oriented approach, Lee enjoys working with executive directors, boards, fundraising professionals, and organizational leaders to translate ambitious aspirations into clear priorities, strong philanthropic relationships, and measurable results.
Lee holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from the University of Guelph and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Trent University. She is a Certified Mastery Coach and is pursuing certification as a Challenge Dialogue System practitioner. Her community involvement includes serving as Chair of the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Foundation and as a Director of Innovative Canadians for Change.
Fun fact: Lee’s curiosity and adventurous spirit extend well beyond her professional life. She loves exploring new places and cultures, hiking in nature, and finding fresh perspective on the water aboard her stand-up paddleboard.