About Us – Lebec Consulting

Our Vision & Mission

At Lebec Consulting, we believe it’s critical to think bigger and reimagine how global capital markets can be a force for good—with the goal of unleashing systems change. From achieving gender, racial, and income equality; to addressing climate change and solving the global water crisis; to elevating dance and the arts; to ensuring quality education and healthcare for all—the opportunities to donate, invest, and do business in a sustainable manner are there.

We offer customized philanthropic and impact investment expertise to private, family, and corporate foundations; donor advised fund holders; high net-worth individuals; financial institutions; and entrepreneurs.

More specifically, we:

Challenge Conventional Thinking

With sustainability, innovation, and systems change at the center of our strategy, we think outside the box and look beyond traditional philanthropy. Our goal is to provide you with the best possible roadmap to achieve your impact objectives.

Combine Creativity and Market Research
with Decades of Experience

With first-hand experience in emerging markets and deep knowledge of the non-profit, catalytic philanthropy, impact investing, and social entrepreneurial spheres—we bring a venture capital mindset to your impact strategy and objectives.

Provide Strategic Philanthropic, Impact Investing, and Marketing Insight and Support

With a $5-7 trillion price tag, solving the greatest existential crises of our time needs transformational leadership. We aim to think big, tap into global capital markets—and help you become part of the global movement toward reversing the tides of inequality.

Why Now

Never before in our lifetime has systemic change been more relevant and vital. As we enter a new era where global pandemics, climate change, the global water crisis, systemic racism, and gender and income inequality continue to hinder our progress and the sustainability of our planet—we have an urgent responsibility to rebuild our systems and walk the talk. This is a unique moment in time for philanthropists and impact investors to maximize their impact. Meanwhile, there is an entire network of successful social entrepreneurs who have proven their ability to generate unprecedented impact, who are ready for philanthropic support that matches the scale of these issues and solutions. We need bold, transformational leadership to support these great changemakers—and we need it now.

Who We Are

With sustainability, innovation, and systems change at the center of our strategy, Lebec Consulting is a women-led firm that advises corporations, foundations, high-net-worth individuals, financial institutions, and entrepreneurs on how to achieve their greatest impact through catalytic philanthropy and impact investments. We strive to provide these key stakeholders with the best possible roadmap to achieve impact in ways that will truly reverse the tides of global inequality.

We approach everything we do with an equity lens. With a broad mix of experiences, and trainings related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, we ensure equity is always at the center of our approach and integrated into the solutions we bring to the table to our clients.

OUR TEAM

Alix Lebec, Founder & CEO

ALIX LEBEC is an entrepreneur and strategic adviser to the business, philanthropic, and impact investing communities.

With nearly two decades of experience across Europe, Southeast Asia, East Africa, and the U.S., Alix’s expertise is rooted in understanding global poverty and solutions that work, and in advising individuals, corporations, foundations, financial institutions, and entrepreneurs on how to achieve their greatest impact through philanthropy and impact investing.

From the World Bank, to the Clinton Global Initiative, Water.org, and WaterEquity, Alix developed and led high-performing teams, and helped pioneer and scale global social impact innovations helping women and families living in poverty.

Working closely with Water.org and WaterEquity’s CEO and Co-Founders, Gary White and Matt Damon, Alix helped build and scale both organizations, developing a $200M+ portfolio of highly impactful philanthropic partnerships and investments.

Most recently, Alix founded Lebec Consulting to address fundamental gaps in equality, philanthropy, and impact investing. Alix holds a Master of Science in Social Policy from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in International Business from the American University of Paris.

KATIE ORR, COO, VP OF COMMUNICATIONS & HEAD OF ESG

KATIE ORR has spent 14+ years crafting narratives to build brands, communicate missions, and inspire change.

During her time as a marketing and communications professional for a wide range of investment managers—including TA Associates, Citadel, Northern Trust, Mesirow, Perella Weinberg Partners, TIAA, Nuveen, and Barings—she has often focused on emerging markets and ESG/sustainability, and has become actively involved in women’s networks.

Prior to that, Katie spent eight years as a broadcast editor and producer for news, commercials, and network and syndicated television shows.

Katie holds an MBA from Wake Forest University, and a Master of Liberal Arts in Journalism from Harvard University Extension School. She also received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Salem College.

An avid traveler, Katie launched a personal project in 2009 to see the world over a 20-year period. She believes deeply that this has opened her eyes to the struggles that so many low-income communities across the globe face—and wants to play a firsthand role in the solution.

Erin K. Risner, Chief Marketing Officer

ERIN K. RISNER brings 14+ years of strategic marketing experience, with a successful track record in brand building and digital campaigns for global and national brands.

She excels in creating authentic comprehensive marketing and communications strategies that achieve growth and impact.

Her expertise spans the tech, non-profit, and social entrepreneurship sectors—where she’s successfully built brands from scratch, modernized brands, secured high-level strategic partnerships, leveraged social media and influencers, spearheaded PR and agency relationships, managed diverse teams, and led multi-faceted digital campaigns that have reached more than 21 million people.

Her partnership experience includes working with Warner Bros., Disney Studios/20th Century, Amazon Studios, AOL, Levi’s, Gates Foundation, and ONE Campaign.

Erin also has strong expertise in content strategy, fundraising, advertising, writing press releases and pitching stories, SEO/SEM, crisis communications, brand development and management, creative and visual storytelling, stakeholder buy-in, and inclusive communications.

She has always worked to improve the lives of kids. For the past 10 years, she has proudly served on the board for Girls to School, and in 2018 became a CASA volunteer. She currently leads the marketing team at the national inclusive youth development organization Camp Fire.

Erin graduated from Drury University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Integrated Media and Global Studies. Her career travels have taken her all over the world, and have contributed greatly to the person she is today.

Jessica Gisondo, Director of Communications and Partnerships, Lebec Consulting

JESSICA GISONDO has worked at the intersection of philanthropy, non-profits, and social change for over a decade.

During her time at Open Society Foundations and Bloomberg Philanthropies, Jessica’s work spanned global geographies and a wide array of thematic areas to fund a diverse portfolio of non-profit partners.

She also developed and co-managed the New Executives Fund, a unique philanthropic portfolio providing key support to new nonprofit heads and organizations navigating leadership transitions.

Prior to that, she represented the Government of Rwanda at the United Nations, where her work centered around the protection of women in conflict zones, peacekeeping policy, and Security Council affairs.

Jessica holds a Master of Arts in International Affairs from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and History from the University of California, San Diego.

Hannah Kovich, DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH

HANNAH KOVICH is energized by market research, and developing effective and strategic processes that lead to results.

With 11+ years in non-profit fundraising, she has extensive experience in grants strategy and management, donor stewardship, investor relations, and in-depth research.

As a grants management professional for Water.org and Harvesters—The Community Food Network, Hannah specialized in project management for strategic long-term grant programs.

As an Investor Relations Manager for WaterEquity, she stewarded investors through the impact investment process, from due diligence to reporting.

Hannah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Kansas State University. When she is not 30 tabs deep in research or organizing a spreadsheet, you can find her wrangling her three small children.