Since August, 2012, Elizabeth Murphy has been President/CEO of Leadership Fairfax, an organization dedicated to identifying and educating community leaders. With over 10 years’ experience in non-profit management, in her current role, Ms. Murphy oversees the delivery of LFI’s three leadership programs, the Signature program for senior level executives, the Emerging Leaders’ Institute for younger executives, and the Lifetime Leadership Program for the recently retired. One of her areas of focus as CEO is increasing the civic engagement of LFI graduates in the work of Fairfax County. To that end, she has begun fostering partnerships with the county government and non-profit community to explore and define key issues and open doors to involvement for LFI alumni. In addition to the class schedule, LFI also plans and hosts numerous events per year to enhance leadership competencies for graduates of the program.

Prior to joining LFI, Ms. Murphy was the President/CEO of the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra for five years. She led the symphony through major organizational change, including a world-wide search for a new music director. Ms. Murphy oversaw the planning and execution of the symphony’s public concerts, education and outreach programs, and fundraising events. She implemented a multi-level marketing strategy that resulted in 10% increase in single ticket sales for concerts. She directed the redevelopment of the FSO’s music education programs in partnership with Fairfax County schools, and increased fundraising which enabled the FSO to deliver educational programs at no charge to 40-50 individual schools each year. Ms. Murphy specializes in event planning and management, internal and external communications, team building, project management, board stewardship, branding and messaging, strategic planning, and grant writing. Prior to joining the FSO in 2005 as its Operations Manager, she was the Managing Director of the Fairfax Choral Society, where she facilitated concert production for all five choruses, planned and executed fundraising events, and handled membership growth and development.

Ms. Murphy serves on the board of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, and has served as a review panelist for the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the Arts Council of Fairfax’s general operating grant applications. She was the state-wide co-chairman of the 2012 initiative “Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Children and the Arts.” She also has served as a board member for Virginians for the Arts, and as a member of the Major Arts Organization panel in Virginia. In addition to her work duties, Ms. Murphy holds several key volunteer positions in the community with school and athletic organizations, including membership development, fundraising, and event planning.