Leanne Levers, PhD

Superpower: Building unlikely partnerships and turning complex challenges into creative, actionable solutions.

Dr. Leanne Levers is a political scientist, global strategist, and author with more than 15 years of experience supporting social change initiatives across Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and North America. Her work sits at the intersection of advocacy, philanthropy, movement-building, and systems change, helping organisations translate complex challenges into clear strategies, stronger partnerships, and meaningful impact.

Leanne holds a PhD in Politics and International Studies and is the author of Decolonising Restorative Justice: A Case for Policy Reform. Her expertise in power, governance, accountability, and social transformation has led her to advise philanthropic institutions, grassroots movements, and international organisations working to advance justice and equity. She has also guest lectured and spoken at leading institutions including Oxford University and the University of Cambridge.

As a consultant with Black Fox Global, Leanne helps organisations strengthen strategy, cultivate partnerships, navigate complexity, and align people, ideas, and resources around shared goals. Her approach combines analytical rigour, creative problem-solving, and a deep commitment to community-led change.

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Growing up in Jamaica shaped how I see the world and my place in it. It taught me to pay attention to power, to question injustice, and to believe that the people closest to a problem are often closest to the solution. That perspective continues to guide my work today, particularly my commitment to advancing gender justice and creating spaces where Black women can heal, lead, and thrive. As co-founder of Dope Black Women, I’ve helped build a global community rooted in care, connection, and collective action.

Friends and colleagues would describe me as a great listener, endlessly curious, and someone who brings people together with warmth and purpose. I love hearing people’s stories, understanding what motivates them, and finding common ground between ideas, organisations, and communities that might otherwise never meet.

Outside of work, you’ll usually find me traveling, reading biographies, or on a tennis court. I also love creating spaces where people feel at home. Cooking for family and friends, with good music playing in the background, is one of my favorite ways to bring people together and it’s often where the best conversations and ideas begin.