About

Samuel M. Gebru is a social entrepreneur, community organizer, educator, advocate, and policy analyst with over 17 years of political and nonprofit experience in the United States and East Africa.

He is the Managing Director of Black Lion Strategies, a social impact and public affairs consulting firm, where he works with a range of businesses, nonprofit organizations, advocacy coalitions, government officials, and others committed to social and economic justice and opportunity. Samuel is also a Senior Advisor at deWit Impact Group, Professor of the Practice of Political Science at Tufts University’s School of Arts and Sciences, and Senior Fellow at the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University’s Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life.

An experienced leader, connector, and professional troublemaker, Samuel has devoted over half of his life to creating and shaping initiatives, building partnerships and coalitions, and advocating for public policies that advance opportunity and justice for all. He discovered his vocation for public service as a 13-year-old bringing attention to maternal health issues and raising funds for women suffering from obstetric fistula, a rare childbirth injury common in developing countries. Samuel is a former candidate for City Council in his hometown of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and he remains deeply involved in range of domestic and foreign policy issues.

His current community service includes: the Leadership Council of the WilmerHale Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School, City of Cambridge City Manager’s Advisory Committee, Advisory Committee of the Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, Secretary of the Board of Directors of Just A Start Corporation, and Community Advisory Board of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Samuel is multilingual, serves on several boards and commissions, is a frequent public speaker, and is an enthusiastic coffee and ice cream aficionado.

Last Revised: January 2023. Contact for a most recent version, photos, or a longer biography.