SPEAKING

speaker. movement-builder.

ABOUT ESTHER

official bio

Esther Saehyun Lee, MA, she/her is a movement-builder, fundraiser, and speaker who emphasizes the importance of ethical storytelling and challenges systemic inequities in the nonprofit sector. She believes in Community-Centric Fundraising that inspires organizations to adopt inclusive practices rooted in equity and justice.

She’s currently the Founder and Lead Consultant at Elevate Philanthropy Consulting, specializing in equity and fundraising. As a community-centric fundraiser, she champions the movement to shift philanthropy towards more equitable practices, reimagining how we mobilize resources to our communities.

Esther in a tan blazer and jeans speaking into a microphone at a conference, with her friend Liz standing next to a high table, and a banner in the background speaking at Humane Canada.
Book Esther for your Event

PAST SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

  • Logo of the Association of Fundraising Professionals with a blue AFP acronym and yellow and black swoosh design.
  • Logo with a light bulb shape around a green plant and the words "LITTLE BIG FUND" beside it.
  • Logo for Washington State Nonprofit Conference featuring a stylized red apple with a heart in the center.
  • Logo for Montana Nonprofit Association with initials 'MNA' inside circles and full name below.
  • Logo featuring a stylized pink heart with brown accents and the words 'community-centric fundraising' in blue text.
  • City Thread logo featuring a circular geometric design and the words 'City Thread' on a white background.
  • Logo with red background and white text reading 'JSI'
  • Logo of Community Food Centres Canada with green text and a circular design made of cutlery and vegetables, tagline 'good food is just the beginning'.
  • Logo for Dr. Bronner's Family Foundation with text in blue and small horizontal rainbow line above

vertical headshots

  • A woman with shoulder-length black hair, wearing a white suit, sitting on a white couch, smiling with her hand resting on her chin.
  • A woman in an orange sleeveless blazer and matching trousers, smiling while standing in a bright office with white walls and a green plant in the background.
  • A confident woman in a black pinstripe suit with arms crossed, standing in a bright corridor.
  • A woman in a peach-colored blazer and pants sitting on a wooden table in a bright office with a white laptop nearby.

horizontal headshots

  • A woman in a white suit standing against a stone wall, smiling with arms crossed.
  • A confident woman in a black pinstripe blazer standing with crossed arms in an outdoor corridor of a building with large windows.

signature topics

community-centric fundraising.

Esther's community-centric fundraising model challenges nonprofits to critically analyze the foundations of the nonprofit sector.

equity and fundraising.

Learn how to critically examine the distribution of power and resources as Esther challenges you to rethink traditional fundraising practices. Shift towards a values-driven philanthropy model that prioritizes equity and social justice.

ethical storytelling.

Learn how your organization can adopt ethical storytelling, focusing on narratives that respect and uplift those being served.

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Click the button below to have Esther as a speaker at your event, or to interview her for your platform.

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