James Lee has an extensive track record as a compelling, inspirational, and passionate leader in both the nonprofit and business communities.  He has led innovative education-focused organizations, built multiple businesses as a private sector entrepreneur, and developed strategy, programs, teams, and organizations as a senior executive, board member, and sought-after consultant, successfully helping to transform organizations as they move from good to great.

​

James most recently headed global business development and strategic partnerships for AltSchool, a venture-backed education technology company that is both a certified B Corp and a public benefit corporation. As AltSchool’s Vice President of Business Development, James focused on building relationships and revenue in the areas of K-12 education, out-of-school time, B2B, ed tech, philanthropy, and the private sector, as well as adjacent verticals, at the regional, state, national, and international level.  AltSchool operates 4 pre-K to 8th grade schools, and its personalized learning platform, support, and services are used by 30 partner schools nationwide. 

​

Before joining AltSchool, James was a Partner at the Jackson Hole Group and Schaffer & Combs, management consulting firms working with mission-driven organizations.  Previously, James worked in the charter school education sector, helping both KIPP and Leadership Public Schools in a strategic fundraising capacity. Additionally, James helped lead The BizWorld Foundation as its Vice President of Programs.  At the Junior Statesmen Foundation, he served as a Board Member, Program Director, and Director of Alumni Relations and Development.  James has also designed fundraising strategies and led teams to collectively raise hundreds of millions of dollars for leading nonprofit and startup organizations. 

A graduate of Princeton University, James began his career at McKinsey & Company and then was Founder and CEO of a multi-million-dollar retail business in the San Francisco Bay Area.

​

James currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco Graduate School of Management, in both the Global Entrepreneurial Management program and the Master in Nonprofit Management program, where he created and teaches courses on U.S. Consulting and Social Enterprise.  He is a co-founder of Knowmia, an award-winning Y Combinator education technology company, and is a frequent speaker on strategy, education, consulting, impact, fundraising, leadership, startups, corporate social responsibility, and board development.

​

James has served on multiple boards and advisory councils, including the Foundation Center, Mouse Squad, San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center, The Junior Statesmen Foundation, The Third Half, SoccerFours, New Sector Alliance, Cornerstone Capital Group, Princeton Club of Northern California, and Princeton University Alumni Council.  He is also a volunteer mentor to entrepreneurs and startups through Startup Weekend, Founder Institute, Microsoft Hackathon, Big Ideas Competition at U.C. Berkeley, and Kick Accelerator, and has been a member of Full Circle Fund, Development Executives Roundtable, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.