Hela Lahar - Visionary Leadership

About

My work is grounded in a simple truth: leadership isn't just about managing projects; it's about stewarding history while building the future. As a strategist operating at the intersection of peacebuilding and Jewish communal life, I help organizations turn complex visions into concrete, measurable realities.

This drive is deeply personal. Named after a Holocaust survivor and raised by a father born in a refugee camp, I view myself as an active link in the chain of Jewish Peoplehood. My father taught me that the antidote to stress is action—a lesson that transformed my family's legacy of survival into a career of relentless doing. This history instills in me a profound accountability to ensure that "Never Again" translates into actionable, bridge-building work.

"I live between two worlds—American and Israeli. I understand what keeps Executive Directors up at night in both Jerusalem and New York, navigating the complexities of identity and society from the inside, not as an observer but as someone who calls both home."

Over the past 17 years, I have led organizations through their most critical moments of transformation and crisis. Most recently, as Chief Executive Director of Tech2Peace, I scaled the organization five-fold—growing from a single initiative to ten diverse programs and achieving a 70% active alumni rate—all while leading through the unprecedented challenges of the October 7th war. Previously, as Acting Executive Director of OneVoice Movement, I guided a board-mandated strategic pivot during the COVID-19 crisis, managing $3.5M in cross-border initiatives.

Hela facilitating a listening circle

Creating space for dialogue across differences

My approach blends executive-level strategy with the nuance of a trained facilitator. Whether speaking at the United Nations and the Knesset or facilitating difficult conversations in community basements, I refuse to oversimplify complex realities. I work with organizations that demand both rigorous strategy and deep human connection—partnering with leaders to navigate polarization, combat antisemitism, and build resilient communities.

Today, I offer that bi-cultural fluency and crisis-tested leadership to organizations ready to make a serious impact. If you are navigating complexity and looking for a partner who understands both the vision and the execution, I am ready to work with you.

Education & Credentials

  • Master's in Diplomacy and Security Studies — Tel Aviv University
  • Bachelor's in International Relations — Arizona State University / Hebrew University
  • Certified Dialogue Facilitator — Resetting The Table
  • Executive Training — ACCELERATE, Hillel International
  • Executive Mentor — Dvora Forum, Women in Foreign Policy and National Security

Advisory & Leadership Roles

  • Advisory Board Member — Heart of a Nation
  • Executive Mentor — Dvora Forum

If your organization is navigating complexity and seeking a strategic partner who understands both vision and execution, I'd welcome a conversation about how we might work together.