Pamela Lewis is the esteemed Director of the New Economy Initiative (NEI),a groundbreaking philanthropic partnership, supported by 12 national and regional foundations, and expertly managed by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.
As a visionary leader in economic development, Lewis brings her exceptional expertise to guide the NEI team in strategic grant making and program development, with a focus on innovative funding and the creation of public/private partnerships that have already yielded impressive results, including the establishment of over 17,000 jobs and 1,600 companies throughout the region.
With a strong educational background, Lewis holds an engineering degree from Michigan State University and a Master of Business Administration from Spring Arbor University. Prior to her current role as Director, she served as deputy team leader of NEI, having joined the initiative in 2011 as a senior program officer.
Before her tenure at NEI, Lewis was a member of the Kauffman Foundation's Detroit team, where she oversaw national entrepreneurial programs. Her impressive professional journey has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including being named one of the top 25 women in technology in Michigan and one of the 100 most influential women in Michigan by Crain's Detroit.
Lewis's extensive career spans over two decades, with 15 years spent at DTE Energy, where she held various roles, from analyst to manager of process management and continuous improvement initiatives. She also managed entrepreneurial programs focused on accelerating clean energy startups at NextEnergy.
Throughout her life, Lewis has been a proud resident of Metro Detroit, where she has built a reputation as a dedicated and accomplished professional in the field of economic development.
