Ben Lewis

Ben Lewis is a Vice President at Purpose Built Communities, a national nonprofit that harnesses the power of deep, cross-sector collaborations and strong investments in education, health and wellness, housing, and economic vitality to make neighborhoods into places where all residents can prosper.

Starting his career in Philadelphia, Ben led summer and after-school programs, before becoming a high school humanities teacher. In this role, he crafted a senior research curriculum, and as the 12th-grade team leader, he supported 92% of seniors in earning an acceptance to college. Ben also served as an assistant principal in Philadelphia, driving a school culture plan that led to a 60% reduction in class cuts. He then became a high school principal in Denver, where he led his school to improve two tiers out of four on the state’s school assessment system. In this role, Ben became even more deeply aware of the systemic challenges his students faced outside school—lack of safe housing, limited healthy food options, and insufficient job opportunities for their parents. Recognizing these challenges led him to Harvard, where he earned a Doctorate in Education Leadership and collaborated with organizations like Purpose Built Communities, The Harlem Children’s Zone and the Ed Redesign Lab to make sure that children have what they need to thrive in and outside of school. Ben also holds both a Masters and B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Albuquerque, NM where he enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and two daughters.

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