Leah Silen

Background

About Leah Silen

Agile leader with 15+ years of experience innovating, building, and scaling mission-driven organizations. Adept at transforming nonprofit start-ups into thriving, sustainable global enterprises through strategic vision, diversified funding models, and the development of high-performing teams. Recognized for community building, cultivating cultures of respect, and empowering others. Skilled in navigating complex challenges, leading organizational change, and driving measurable impact. REPRESENTATIVE CAREER HIGHLIGHTS ⇒ Built NumFOCUS from concept to fully operational nonprofit as its inaugural Executive Director. Scaled revenue from $40K in seed funding to $ 10 M+ through diversified funding streams. Assembled a team of 20 professionals across finance, program management, fundraising, marketing, compliance, and operations. ⇒ Conceptualized, developed, and launched a global event program for the open-source scientific computing, AI, and data science community; scaled the program to 12+ annual conferences and meetup members across 230 chapters in 79 countries. ⇒ Implemented a dual board governance structure consisting of an administrative board and a technical steering committee to better represent stakeholders and serve the growing organization. EXPERTISE • Organizational Vision & Strategy • Budget Ownership ($7M+) • Team Leadership & Talent Development • Adaptability & Change Leadership • Fundraising & Grant Management • Program Management & Evaluation • Operations Oversight • Strategic Communication • Board Service & Governance • Community Building & Engagement • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion