Lee Helms
Advancing the way organizations and leaders connect with audiences and constituents through inclusive strategy, innovative experiences, and authentic storytelling.
Photo by Jim Block
Bridging creative vision with business rigor.
Lee brings over 15 years of experience to bear, including key leadership roles at San Francisco Opera, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Theatre for a New Audience, Barrington Stage Company, and Brevard Music Center. He holds an MBA from UC Berkeley and a BFA from SMU.
Audience development through experience design
Lee’s original, immersive, boundary-pushing “Encounter” event concept for San Francisco Opera has generated thousands of new customers (younger, more diverse), attracted discreet funding opportunities, and converted new audiences to repeat and mainstage ticket sales. The San Francisco Chronicle called the third-annual Encounter “not to be missed” and placed it at the top of its Fall 2024 must-see classical music events in San Francisco.
Rooted in an established but evolving art form, Encounter subverts expectations of what’s possible in an opera house, and offers audiences an entirely new way to fall in love with opera and the SFO brand. Encounter leverages existing company assets to create an additional product format, a key strategic move to drive new audience development.
Operationally and artistically, Encounter forges unexpected connections with artists and community partners, opens exciting avenues for creativity, and improves the dexterity of traditional workflows.
What can a fresh take on audience experience do for your organization?
Photos by Kristen Loken
Storytelling workshops for teams
“Artificial intelligence is going to do many things for us in the decades ahead, and replace humans at many tasks, but one thing it will never be able to do is create person-to-person connections. If you want to thrive in the age of AI, you’d better become exceptionally good at connecting with others.”
- David Brooks, How to Know a Person
To deliver truly persuasive presentations, teams must connect with people by combining intellectual ideas with authentic emotions. The best way to accomplish this is to tell a story—an increasingly vital skill to cultivate.
Lee’s 90-minute storytelling workshop introduces participants to the essential elements of effective storytelling, engages them with interactive exercises from the world of theatre and dance, and up-levels their ability to persuade. Well-researched, revealing, fun, and adaptable for any setting or industry, the workshop enhances the skillset and professional development of any team.
Individualized presentation coaching for leaders also available!
“I thought Lee's training was well structured and helpful. I liked the different ways of approaching a story to change the tone and the message that one is getting across.”
- Participant
“Lee provided interesting insights on how self-awareness affects how we present ourselves. I've been more aware of my breath and voice during professional interactions.”
- Participant
“It was very informative, engaging, and well done! I liked the emphasis on finding your natural voice and the impact it can have on your audience.”
- Participant
