Lester Olmstead-Rose

Partner

Location

San Francisco, CA

Practice Areas of Interest

Associations & Federated Organizations

Food Security

Social Justice/ Advocacy/ Policy

Select Clients

Common Cause

John Muir Community Health Fund

Meals on Wheels San Francisco

OneFuture Coachella Valley

San Diego Natural History Museum

Trust for Public Land

Meet Lester,

one of our Partners.

Lester Olmstead-Rose (he/him) is one of the firm’s most experienced strategists and a leading national expert in business planning for nonprofits. He is a co‑author of The Nonprofit Business Plan: A Leader’s Guide to Creating a Successful Business Model, a widely used resource for nonprofit leaders seeking to bridge strategy and operations.

Over the past two decades, Lester has helped hundreds of organizations strengthen their financial models, refine strategic direction, and align mission with long‑term sustainability.

Lester’s work spans organizational assessment and development, strategic planning, and business model development. He brings a rare 360‑degree perspective to his consulting — drawing on experience as a nonprofit executive, program manager, board member, and funder.

Prior to joining La Piana in 2005, he served as Director of Government and Public Affairs for Pacific Gas & Electric Company, Executive Director of Community United Against Violence, and Legislative Assistant to San Francisco County Supervisor Angela Alioto.

Learn more about Lester in this La Piana Consulting staff interview.

🎓 Education

Golden Gate University ‒ M.B.A.
Stanford University ‒ B.A., Religious Studies

✏️ Select Publications

“I love working with different types of organizations that are at different points in their life cycle. What really excites me is working with clients who are ready to move forward in new ways, clients that that are passionate about their mission and who have insights into how they can be ever more effective.”