Lesley Ray is the executive director of philanthropy at Mater Foundation, Brisbane where she couples fundraising practice with organisational management and leadership. She leads a team of fundraising professionals and is charged with the development of the organisation's individual giving and philanthropic engagement programmes.

Her master's degree work focused on giving circles, particularly women in philanthropy and along with five colleagues, in 2014 they formed 'Women & Change', Queensland's first giving circle.

Lesley is deputy chair of Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) based in D.C. and is a fellow of Fundraising Institute Australia. In 2015, Lesley was awarded the Arthur Venn Fundraiser of the Year which recognises outstanding contribution to fundraising in Australia.