Kris Leja, she/her

Kris Leja has worked in organizations dedicated to mental health, youth mentorship, educational equity, and housing over the last two decades. Most recently, she was the Executive Director for Summer Search Bay Area. During her four-year tenure, she helped to stabilize fundraising, redefine the geographic footprint, and initiate strategic growth, following a multi-site merger. Before that, she was the Interim CEO and Chief Development Officer at Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco, seeing the organization through a capital campaign and a leadership transition. 

As Co-Founder and Principal of KLP Impact, she approaches her work with clients in a relationship-forward way, utilizing empathy and somatic-based practices. With coaching clients, her focus is on centering their needs and providing strategic support that is individually crafted, taking into account the multiple identities that each person brings to their work. She brings to KLP a passion for supporting organizations and helping them create cultures grounded in equity, social justice principles and practices, shared leadership, and democratized ways of being. 

Kris was born and raised on the southwest side of Chicago and lives in San Francisco with her partner and cat. She received her BA in Liberal Arts from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and an MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. She is a certified coach through the Embody Lab and holds the following certifications: Mindful Leadership Training Program at Spirit Rock; Awakened Body, focused on somatics and contemplative embodiment; and a year-long Non-violent Communication Immersion Program, where she assists the teaching staff and coaches participants.