Leigh-Ann Buchanan

Leigh-Ann A. Buchanan, Esq., is a founder, investor, and strategic advisor. Her body of work leverages over 15 years of experience as an attorney and social impact executive to explore how tech, innovation and social investment intersect to unlock opportunity and transform communities. Her insights and ideas have been featured in the New York Times, Inc. Magazine, NPR, PBS, Bloomberg, the American Psychological Association, ABA Journal among others. Notably, through a diverse portfolio of initiatives, including Nyah Project, Tech Equity Miami, Opportunity Connect and Venture Cafe Miami, Leigh-Ann has helped unlock over $80 million in philanthropic investment to transform outcomes for individuals, organizations and communities. She currently serves as the President & CEO of the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority, which fast-tracks the procurement of innovation that enables local governments to more effectively and efficiently improve quality of life in cities. It collaborates with economic engines and municipalities to identify, invest in, and support companies to pilot technology solutions to pressing public challenges. Leigh-Ann is also the founder of Nyah Project, a social enterprise which clears the pathway to college for underrepresented students through training and tech based tools designed to remove the practical and systemic barriers to higher education. Under her leadership, 100% of Nyah Fellows attend college and over 90% win scholarships — accumulating over $30 million in scholarships since 2014. As an advisor, she works closely with leaders from private and public institutions, family offices and foundations to design community investment strategies that leverage tech and innovation to create more equitable and inclusive outcomes. She is passionate about elevating the stories of inspiring innovators through content production projects, including the award-winning Innovation City podcast and Hustle To Scale, a documentary that was licensed by PBS for limited distribution. Leigh-Ann previously served as Chair of the American Bar Association Coalition on Racial & Ethnic Justice. She holds executive certificates from Harvard Business School, INSEAD and Columbia Business School as well as a J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and a B.A from Bethune-Cookman University. She was raised in Vancouver, Canada and has traveled to more than 50 countries to date.