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Jesse Leon is a global keynote speaker, award-winning author, executive coach, and founder and president of Alliance Way, where he advises leaders across companies, foundations, government, and mission-driven organizations on leadership, strategy, and systems change.

A graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard University and a 2024 Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center resident, Jesse brings rare credibility to conversations about resilience, institutional trust, and leading through complexity. With over 25 years of cross-sector experience, he has overseen more than 1billioninpublicinvestmentsforaffordablehousing,advisedmultimillion−dollarphilanthropicportfolios,andhelpedleadthedevelopmentofmorethan5,000housingunitsvaluedat1 billion in public investments for affordable housing, advised multimillion-dollar philanthropic portfolios, and helped lead the development of more than 5,000 housing units valued at 1billioninpublicinvestmentsforaffordablehousing,advisedmultimillion−dollarphilanthropicportfolios,andhelpedleadthedevelopmentofmorethan5,000housingunitsvaluedat2 billion.

Jesse is the award-winning author of I’m Not Broken and No Estoy Roto (Penguin Random House) and has delivered keynote lectures and institutional addresses for the United Nations, the Ford Foundation, the Gates Foundation, and TEDx. What makes Jesse distinct is the combination of lived experience and large-scale execution: from surviving human trafficking, homelessness, and addiction to becoming a trusted advisor to leaders and organizations globally.

Through keynote engagements, executive coaching, and leadership development, Jesse equips leaders to navigate change, build trust, and turn adversity into aligned action.

Categories: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Health Care, Health Care - Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery, Hispanic, Inspiration, LGBTQ+, Motivation, Philanthropy, Quality Virtual Keynote, Social Justice, TED Talk, Workforce Issues

Videos

Topics

• The Human Side of High Performance: Empathy, Accountability, and Leadership Under Pressure
  High-performing cultures are not built on pressure alone. They are built by leaders who know how to pair empathy with accountability, strengthen culture, and keep people engaged through change.

• When Systems Fail: What Survivorship Teaches Us About Leadership, Culture, and Institutional Trust
  Jesse’s signature keynote goes beyond story. He helps audiences understand how trust is lost, how it is rebuilt, and what real leadership requires when people, teams, and institutions are under strain.

• Doing Good Is Good Business: Purpose, Partnership, and Performance at Scale
  Drawing on large-scale work across public, private, and philanthropic sectors, Jesse explores how purpose-driven strategy, strong partnerships, and measurable results can reinforce one another.

• Beyond Survival: Turning Adversity into Strategy, Action, and Hope
  This keynote uses Jesse’s story as the entry point, but not the endpoint. He connects adversity, resilience, and reinvention to the leadership capacities organizations need most: trust, courage, perspective, and the ability to turn pain into purposeful action.

• Leading Through Complexity: Trust, Clarity, and Aligned Purpose in Times of Change
  In uncertain environments, leaders need more than inspiration. They need a framework for building trust, aligning teams, and making decisions that hold under pressure. Jesse shows how human-centered leadership creates clarity, steadiness, and forward movement.

Books

Testimonials

Jesse was incredibly professional and went above and beyond to connect with our audience.

Kate Herman, Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation

It was a great talk, and Jesse is such a dynamic speaker.

Bonita Mannings, Center for Veterinary Medicine/Food and Drug Administration

Raw, moving, and authentic.

Pedro Noguera, Dean, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California

A galvanizing presenter and author.

Dr. Towanna Burrous, Institute for Coaching Innovation

Jesse delivered a heartfelt and vulnerable presentation… The responses were overwhelmingly positive.

Crowell & Moring LLP

His authenticity and willingness to share his personal story touched all attendees.

Partner, Gould+Ratner LLP

Jesse delivered his message in a clear and sensitive manner.

Producer, Univisión

Featured & New to AEI

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