Leaders’ Quest was founded in 2001 by Lindsay Levin along with two friends, Sue Cheshire and Gene Early.

Fields Wicker-Miurin joined as a Partner in 2002, followed by Melanie Katzman and Kenzie Kwong. We remain deeply grateful to these six pioneers who led the organization for 20 years, and set LQ on its path to grow wise leadership across the world.

Twenty years after we delivered our first “Quest” we co-founded TED Countdown, a global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis.

Together with TED and a network of partners, our goal for Countdown is to build a better future by cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 in the race to a zero carbon world — a world that is safer, cleaner, and fairer for everyone.

At the end of 2023, Lindsay stood down as Leaders’ Quest’s CEO, and Melanie Jamieson and Jayma Pau stepped up as co-CEOs. The bonds remain close – Lindsay continues to serve as the Chair of LQ’s Board and Head of TED Countdown. Her latest initiative, Blue Dot Collective is a collaboration with several partners (LQ included) to work on climate and conflict.

In Lindsay’s words, “Blue Dot brings together people I love, lessons we’ve learned, ideas that matter, and a restless energy to, in Carl Sagan’s words, build a kinder world on the only home we have.”