Lesley Robinson

Dr. Lesley Robinson is the Founder & CEO of Embolden Consulting, empowering founders through entrepreneurial leadership. As Co-Founder and Director of Education at ayana Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit, she uplifts women founders worldwide through education, community, and enhanced access to funding. Lesley partners with her alma mater, The University of Tulsa, and Cherokee Nation to support the UTulsa Cherokee Women’s AcceleratHER Fellowship, providing Native American women with curriculum, mentorship, and $100,000 in non-dilutive funding to grow their businesses.

With 20+ years of experience in higher education, particularly in global and entrepreneurship education, Lesley researches and teaches entrepreneurial leadership and social impact. She inspires students to act, solve problems, navigate uncertainties, embrace ambiguity, and take confident risks while fostering a deep understanding of personal motivations, identities, strengths, and values.

As Associate Director of the Institute for Entrepreneurship at Colorado State University, Lesley promotes a zero-barrier approach to entrepreneurship, aligning purpose with profit to create #BusinessforaBetterWorld.

Previously, as the Founding Director of the Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (KS WELI) at The University of Texas at Austin, Lesley distributed over $115,000 in seed grants, supported 66+ startups, and amplified 95+ FoundHERs. She developed the Entrepreneurial LeadHERship course at McCombs School of Business. She led KS WELI to earn the 2023 Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Center award from the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) and the 2023 United Nations Global Purpose Award at World Logic Day.

A global citizen who has visited 35+ countries, Lesley is a U.S. State Department Professional Fellow and serves on the U.S. Global Leadership Consortium Advisory Committee. She contributes to the advisory boards of SXSW Pitch and Blue Sky Partners and is a member of the Young Women’s Alliance and CHIEF. She is recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice and named a 2024 Austin Woman Magazine Change Maker and a 2023 Austin Business Journal Women in Business Finalist.

Lesley holds a Ph.D. from Colorado State University, an M.S. from Drexel University, and a B.A. from The University of Tulsa.

Above all, she is the proud mother to a wild-cat-loving 7yo daughter.