Hillary Lehr

Principal at Higher Ground Labs
Summary
Hillary Lehr is an accomplished Operating Partner with a focus on driving rapid scale and fostering social impact within civic tech startups, political tech VC firms, nonprofits, and high-profile campaigns. With a dedication to inclusivity, ethical technology, and the enhancement of democracy, Lehr excels in strategic management, founder coaching, and innovative program launches.
During her tenure as an Operating Partner at Higher Ground Labs, Lehr played a pivotal role in advancing portfolio company growth and demonstrated expertise in B2B SaaS, startups, scale, social impact, and strategic planning. She has a strong track record of coaching founders and guiding startups through the complexities of the political technology market, including exploring the applications of AI & Web3 technologies in political campaigns and organizations.
Lehr's contributions extend to launching impactful programs like AllHands and Uptime 2020, which focused on driving technical talent recruitment while ensuring security and reliability. Her background in building and scaling political tech startups, managing client success & support teams, conducting user research, shaping go-to-market strategies, and navigating acquisition processes showcases a comprehensive skill set.
Known for her ability to drive operational excellence, provide strategic counsel, and earn the respect of her teams, Lehr's specialties include B2B SaaS, Startups, Scale, Social Impact, Strategic Planning, Coaching, Product Launches, User Research, Security, Support, Diversity, Equity, Training, and Executive Leadership.
Lehr's educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Bachelor of Science in Conservation & Resource Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She also pursued a Credential in Public Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School and an Executive MBA in Business Administration and Management from Quantic School of Business and Technology.
Her professional journey includes roles as Chief Executive Officer at Quiller, Operating Partner, Founder, and Vice President at Higher Ground Labs, as well as leadership positions at Hustle, Brigade Media, Causes.com, Global Exchange, and Rainforest Action Network.
Hillary Lehr's rich experience, diverse skill set, and commitment to driving social impact and promoting ethical practices in tech and democracy make her a standout leader in the civic tech and political tech sectors.