Lakeisha Rochelle Edwards

Lakeisha Edwards is a nonprofit executive and civic leader whose career has centered on strengthening communities, building partnerships, and creating access to resources and opportunity.

As Executive Director of UrbanArt Commission in Memphis, Tennessee, Edwards leads the nonprofit responsible for administering the City of Memphis Percent for Art Program and stewarding a public art collection of more than 320 works. Under her leadership, UAC has expanded opportunities for artists, strengthened its community-centered programming, and increased its visibility as an advocate for public art as an essential part of civic life. Since she returned to Memphis to lead the organization, more than $1.4 million has been directed to artists and fabricators through UAC’s work.

In 2026, Edwards helped lead advocacy efforts that resulted in the Memphis City Council fully funding the city’s 1% Percent for Art allocation for the first time in the ordinance’s nearly 25-year history—securing $912,000 for public art projects across Memphis.

Her leadership extends beyond the arts. With more than 20 years of experience spanning nonprofit management, social services, food security, and community development, Edwards has built a career around connecting people, institutions, and resources to produce measurable community impact. Before joining UrbanArt Commission, she held executive and senior leadership roles with Art Ventures, Mid-South Food Bank, and other mission-driven organizations.

A graduate of the University of Memphis with degrees in Social Work and Psychology, Edwards brings a people-centered approach to executive leadership. Her work has earned recognition including the Memphis Business Journal’s Super Women in Business and the American Advertising Federation Memphis Public Service Award. She is also a graduate of Leadership Tennessee NEXT and Leadership Memphis and remains actively engaged in civic and nonprofit leadership throughout Tennessee.

Across each chapter of her career, Edwards has maintained a consistent belief: meaningful community change requires more than good ideas. It requires strong leadership, strategic investment, and the willingness to turn opportunity into action.