Matt Lehrman
- Civic facilitator & mediator helping communities navigate complexity, build trust, and move forward together
- Dynamic keynote speaker inspiring courageous leadership, civic connection, and collaborative problem-solving
- Host of Community Catalysts, the podcast where real leaders share hard-won lessons in public leadership
Travels From
Arizona
Matt Lehrman Speaker Biography
Matt Lehrman is a keynote speaker, civic facilitator, and public leadership coach trusted by communities across the country to spark dialogue, rebuild trust, and move people forward—together.
With a career spanning public policy, financial services, nonprofit leadership, and the arts, Matt brings a uniquely cross-sector perspective to the stage. He began as a federal lobbyist in Washington D.C., transitioned into executive roles in banking, and later made his mark in Arizona’s cultural sector—founding an award-winning statewide initiative for audience development and serving as Interim Managing Director of Arizona Theatre Company during a pivotal leadership transition.
Today, as co-founder of Social Prosperity Partners, Matt’s work is the synthesis of these experiences. He blends policy insight, strategic acumen, and creative facilitation into programs that are as engaging as they are practical—ideal for audiences seeking practical tools to lead through conflict, complexity, and change.
Conference planners choose Matt when they want a speaker who does more than inspire—he equips. His interactive sessions provide frameworks for courageous leadership, meaningful engagement, and collaborative decision-making. Through vivid storytelling, real-time participation, and a signature approach that encourages people to say, “Tell me more,” Matt creates space for collaborative reflection, connection, and progress—even in the most divided environments.
Matt has been featured at national and state conferences for municipal leagues, school boards associations, and industry-specific professional networks. His sessions consistently resonate with mixed-role audiences—including elected officials, staff, board members, and community leaders—who leave feeling energized, grounded, and better equipped to lead with clarity, care, and courage.
He also hosts the Community Catalysts podcast where he interviews mayors, council members, school board leaders, city managers, nonprofit executives, and other civic changemakers. Each episode explores the human side of local leadership—how real people navigate disagreement, build trust, and make progress in their communities.
Overview: Courageous Conversations for a Complex World
Matt Lehrman delivers wholly nonpartisan keynotes and workshops that equip leaders to guide their communities with clarity, compassion, and connection. In a time of deep division and rising distrust, his programs offer practical tools, interactive moments, and a collaborative, values-based approach to help people lead with purpose—together.
As host of the Community Catalysts podcast, Matt brings real-world insight from civic leaders nationwide into every session—ensuring his presentations are grounded, timely, and deeply relevant.
From Conflict to Conversation: Courageous Leadership for Divisive Times
When public discourse turns toxic, the people we count on to lead must show up differently. This presentation equips leaders with real tools to bring calm, empathy, and structure to high-stakes conversations—especially when disagreement feels inevitable. Through vivid stories, participatory moments, and a signature technique called “Tell me more,” Matt helps audiences discover how to reduce defensiveness, foster trust, and guide dialogue toward real progress.
Participants will learn to:
• De-escalate tension without backing away from tough issues
• Listen fully while maintaining direction and clarity
• Build bridges in conversations that feel like walls
• Lead with presence, compassion, and practical skill
Ideal for leadership conferences, governance trainings, and civic gatherings where trust, communication, and community spirit are essential.
The Future We Shape Together: Let’s Talk Possibilities
This is not your typical keynote—it’s an interactive experience that draws people in, lifts them up, and reminds them why civic life still matters. When so much feels disconnected, this session sparks new energy by inviting audiences to reflect, participate, and reimagine their role in shaping what comes next. No politics—just presence, purpose, and possibility.
Attendees will walk away with:
• A renewed connection to civic life, beyond headlines and partisanship
• A shared vocabulary of values, hopes, and ideas
• A deepened sense of agency and shared community purpose
• The energy to take action—together
Perfect for summits, community convenings, and mixed-role audiences of staff, board members, stakeholders, and residents.
A Community of Possibilities: Visioning That Invites, Unites, and Inspires
Planning isn’t just about where you’re going—it’s about who gets to help shape the map. This session introduces Ideastructure, a proprietary framework for turning strategic planning into an energizing, durable process. Instead of driving plans from the top down, leaders learn how to invite broad participation, foster creativity, and build lasting buy-in across communities.
Audiences will discover how to:
• Move beyond rigid planning models toward adaptive, vision-driven thinking
• Create shared ownership of long-term goals
• Use visioning to inspire—not just inform—strategic decisions
• Design engagement processes that are welcoming, collaborative, and effective
Especially relevant for city and county leadership teams, school boards, nonprofits, and membership-based organizations.
Leading Through Complexity: A Compass for Governance in Uncertain Times
When the road ahead is unclear, leaders need more than a plan—they need a compass. This presentation delivers a structured, values-driven approach to decision-making in turbulent environments. Matt’s model helps leaders stay grounded in purpose, navigate competing priorities, and make clear-headed progress—even when perfect solutions don’t exist.
This session equips leaders to:
• Balance competing pressures while staying true to core values
• Act decisively in the absence of full information
• Sustain their teams and communities with clarity and care
• Transform complexity from a challenge into an opportunity for principled leadership
A standout for executive forums, policy institutes, and governance conferences focused on strategy, resilience, and leadership integrity.
