Great philanthropy begins with strong relationships, a shared vision, and the leadership to turn ambitious ideas into meaningful impact. At Global Philanthropic Canada, we are pleased to welcome Lee Hays, MA, as Senior Consultant, bringing more than 25 years of experience in fundraising, advancement, philanthropic partnerships, and organizational leadership to our growing national team.
With a career spanning higher education, financial services, environmental sustainability, and the nonprofit sector, Lee brings a wealth of strategic expertise and a collaborative approach to helping organizations strengthen their fundraising capacity and achieve lasting results.
A Career Built on Fundraising Leadership and Philanthropic Growth
Lee joins Global Philanthropic with an impressive record of advancing philanthropy and building successful fundraising initiatives. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Advancement at Ontario Tech University, where she led the launch of the institution’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, Tech With a Conscience.
During her tenure, Lee helped achieve record fundraising growth and several significant philanthropic milestones, including the university’s first donor-endowed Chair, donor-named Research Centre, and donor-named Faculty.
Her leadership encompassed major gift fundraising, donor cultivation and stewardship, corporate partnerships, campaign strategy, case development, and building collaborative, high-performing advancement teams.
Previously, Lee spent 17 years at Trent University, holding leadership roles across alumni relations, donor engagement, annual giving, communications, and campaign management. Her contributions helped strengthen the university’s culture of philanthropy and advance meaningful fundraising initiatives.
A Strategic Approach to Relationships and Organizational Development
Throughout her career, Lee has demonstrated a strong commitment to bringing people together around shared purpose and creating the conditions for meaningful, sustainable change.
Her experience extends beyond traditional fundraising. Earlier in her career, she held senior leadership positions in financial services, designing and delivering national coaching, adult learning, and leadership development programs.
This foundation in leadership development, combined with her experience as an advancement executive and certified coach, allows Lee to approach organizational challenges with a broader perspective. She understands that successful fundraising requires more than effective strategies; it depends on engaged leadership, strong relationships, organizational alignment, and the collective commitment to achieving a shared vision.
Advancing Collaboration and Sustainable Impact
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 helped develop partnerships and collaborative networks across Canada and internationally. This experience strengthened her understanding of cross-sector collaboration, systems thinking, and the role philanthropy can play in advancing innovative solutions.
Her diverse professional background provides a valuable perspective on how organizations can connect resources, people, and ideas to address complex challenges and create lasting community impact.
How Lee Strengthens Global Philanthropic Canada
As Senior Consultant, Lee brings a distinctive combination of fundraising expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership development to Global Philanthropic’s clients.
Her consulting work focuses on:
Fund Development & Strategic Fundraising: Helping organizations assess their fundraising potential, establish clear priorities, and develop strategies that support long-term sustainability.
Major & Transformational Giving: Strengthening donor relationships, advancing major gift opportunities, and developing meaningful philanthropic partnerships.
Capital Campaign Planning & Strategy: Guiding organizations through campaign development, case for support, and the strategic planning required to achieve ambitious fundraising goals.
Board Development & Governance: Supporting boards and organizational leaders in building confidence, engagement, and accountability in fundraising.
Leadership Coaching & Capacity Building: Empowering fundraising professionals and leadership teams through coaching, facilitation, and practical development strategies.
Corporate Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement: Building collaborative relationships that connect organizational missions with shared opportunities for impact.
Known for her collaborative, engaging, and action-oriented approach, Lee works alongside executive directors, boards, fundraising professionals, and organizational leaders to translate ambitious aspirations into clear priorities, stronger philanthropic relationships, and measurable results.
A Commitment to Meaningful Change
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 also a Certified Mastery Coach and is pursuing certification as a Challenge Dialogue System practitioner.
Beyond her professional work, Lee is actively involved in her community, serving as Chair of the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Foundation and as a Director of Innovative Canadians for Change.
Her belief that meaningful change happens when people come together around a shared purpose reflects the values at the heart of Global Philanthropic’s work: building stronger organizations, fostering meaningful partnerships, and advancing philanthropy that creates lasting impact.
A New Chapter of Strategic Philanthropy
With Lee Hays joining Global Philanthropic Canada, our clients gain access to a seasoned fundraising leader who understands the importance of connecting strategy, relationships, and organizational capacity.
Her extensive experience in higher education advancement, major gifts, campaign leadership, and organizational development further strengthens our ability to support charitable and nonprofit organizations as they navigate challenges, pursue new opportunities, and build sustainable futures.
We are delighted to welcome Lee to the Global Philanthropic team and look forward to the expertise, insight, and collaborative leadership she brings to our shared mission of elevating philanthropy and creating meaningful impact.
Welcome to Global Philanthropic Canada, Lee!
