Co-Founder | Chief Operating Officer

Prof. Lesmah J. Fraser is the Co-Founder and COO of Leslin | The Leslin Healthcare Leadership Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to discovering and activating the leadership potential that resides in us all. We aim to empower healthcare leaders who work with purpose, strive for mastery, and lead with kindness.

She is a seasoned healthcare professional and innovative educator with over 30 years’ experience in executive leadership roles, has worked in large NYC public and private healthcare systems. She is a results-oriented leader and teacher, with a proven record of accomplishments in both healthcare and educational institutions. She is an Adjunct Professor of Healthcare Management at New York University School of Professional Studies (SPS) in the Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies (DAUS) and a former Director of the Ambulatory Care Network at New York Presbyterian/Columbia.

In 1996, Prof. Fraser received an NYU Award for Teaching Excellence, and in 2008, she received a New York-Presbyterian President’s Circle Leadership Award. She holds a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) from the New School for Social Research and is a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (LFACHE) as well as a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM).  

She serves as a Board Trustee for the New York College of Health Professions (NYCHP) and a Board Member on the Bellevue Literary Review (BLR). In 2023, Prof. Fraser was the recipient of the Herbert H. Lehman College Alumni Achievement Award, one of the College’s highest honors. She also received a Citation of Merit from Vanessa L. Gibson, President of the Borough of the Bronx, on September 14th, 2023, and a Proclamation from New York Senator Nathalia Fernandez on September 14, 2023.

In 2025, Prof. Fraser received an honorary Doctoral degree in Humane Letters (L.H.D.) from the New York College of Health Professions in recognition of her distinguished leadership in healthcare, public health, and higher education. She has received multiple civic honors and champions health equity, education, and community empowerment.