Dr. Leena Akhtar

Founder & Principal, The Greater Us

I’m Leena Akhtar, and I founded The Greater Us as a consulting practice to offer trauma-informed approaches to deep culture change. I work with individuals, groups, and organizations to cultivate healthier, more sustainable environments, particularly for those navigating burnout, transition, or times of uncertainty.

My work lives at the intersection of systems thinking, personal transformation, and organizational dynamics. I bring a rigorous, relational, and trauma-informed lens to my facilitation, coaching, and consulting, grounded in my training in the VISIONS model.

I’ve consulted across sectors, with particular depth in academic, STEM, and nonprofit settings. Whether through multi-day trainings, one-time workshops, coaching partnerships, or strategic advising, my work centers on one key question: What does it take to support people in showing up as they most wish to, whether in their work, in community, or in the world?

I hold a PhD from Harvard, an MA in Cultural History from Goldsmiths, University of London, and an Advanced Certificate in Trauma & Violence Transdisciplinary Studies from NYU. Earlier in my career, I also developed museum exhibitions and worked in financial services, experiences that gave me an appreciation for the different cultures, pressures, and possibilities within organizations.

Before launching The Greater Us, I taught and conducted research in the history of science, medicine, and feminist thought at Harvard University. My doctoral dissertation explored how trauma psychiatry was reshaped in the 1970s, highlighting the influence of the feminist anti-violence movement. I also developed and taught courses on the history of trauma psychiatry and gender, violence, and power.

Alongside my academic work, I spent several years in anti-violence advocacy as a crisis hotline counselor, medical advocate, and steering committee member for an organization in New York City. In graduate school, I supported campus advocacy around harassment and advised undergraduate and graduate student groups engaged in organizing and intervention. These experiences continue to shape my commitment to creating cultures where people are supported, respected, and able to thrive.

I also host The Greater Us Podcast, a space for staying grounded in the work of building toward a better world, and imagining what else might be possible along the way.