Lakesha McDay is a deeply respected, equity-centered leader with 25+ years of leadership experience and progressive responsibility in areas of operations, purposeful community engagement, strategic equity practices, inclusive engagement, organizational culture and development, strategic human resource management, government and external affairs, leadership coaching and training, and facilitation.
She has demonstrated the ability to build trusted relationships, collaboration and partnerships with community members, government officials, education leaders, executive leaders, grass-roots organizations, philanthropy partners, and systems leaders to develop, advance, and guide systems change and strategic impact that foster a culture of thriving equitable practices and engagement.
Lakesha most recently served as the executive vice president of programs and operations at New Hanover Community Endowment. She also served significant leadership roles including executive director of governmental and community relations at the University of North Carolina, Asheville, and equity officer at Dogwood Health Trust, a private foundation in western North Carolina. She also served the community of western North Carolina while working for Mission Health for more than 20 years. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from UNC Asheville, a post-graduate certificate in innovation management from Western Carolina University. Lakesha holds a certification as a national diversity professional through the Institute for Diversity (IDC). She is also a trained facilitator in equitable and inclusive organizational practices, leadership coaching, professional development, and organizational communication.
