Today we’d like to introduce you to Bob Lehman.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I first landed in San Diego as a young Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton. Between deployments, I always found my way back — something about San Diego just felt right. After my last role as a Marine recruiter outside Chicago, I came back for good. That return marked the start of a new chapter: first in activism, then in the arts.
Early on, I founded San Diego’s chapter of American Veterans for Equal Rights and was deeply involved in the effort to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I had the honor of becoming the first openly gay veteran appointed to a U.S. Congressional military advisory board. But one of the proudest moments of my life was marrying my husband here in San Diego — we were the first same-sex male couple to legally marry in California.
For the past 25 years, I’ve worked across the arts, culture, and nonprofit world. I led a 500-member community chorus, helped steer an Indianapolis theater through the pandemic by turning its parking lot into an outdoor stage, and now serve as Executive Director of the San Diego Museum Council. In that role, I advocate for more than 100 museums and cultural organizations across the region — including a growing network in Baja California. I also serve as Vice Chair of the County Arts & Culture Commission, Chair of San Diego ART Matters, and on statewide boards focused on arts advocacy.
At the heart of everything I do is a simple commitment: service. To the arts, to equity, and to the community that’s helped shape who I am.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been rewarding, but far from easy. One of the biggest challenges was choosing a path that didn’t follow the typical roadmap. I went straight into the military after high school, so I didn’t attend college until I turned 50. I earned my degree while working full-time, leading a nonprofit, and juggling community work. That experience gave me a different kind of education—one rooted in discipline, service, and persistence.
Another ongoing challenge has been shifting mindsets—especially within the arts and culture world—around collaboration. There’s often this idea that organizations are competing for limited resources, but I’ve spent years proving that when we come together, we’re all stronger. Helping people see the value in working collectively rather than competitively has taken a lot of effort, but it’s paid off in real, lasting partnerships.
Building connections across the border has also come with its own hurdles, but has been hugely rewarding. I’ve worked closely with more than two dozen cultural organizations in Baja, despite not speaking Spanish. That might seem like a barrier, but mutual respect, consistency, and showing up go a long way. We’ve built trust and shared vision—without needing to speak the same language fluently.
None of the hard parts stopped me—they just made the work more meaningful. Every challenge taught me how to lead with empathy, stay grounded, and build bridges where others saw boundaries.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At this point in my life, I’d say I specialize in building coalitions — especially across boundaries that people often assume can’t be bridged. Whether it’s connecting major museums with small community galleries, or forming partnerships across the U.S./Mexico border, my focus has always been on finding common ground and moving forward together.
These days, I lead the San Diego Museum Council, which supports more than 100 museums and cultural organizations across the region. I’m also heavily involved in advocacy — serving on local, regional, and statewide boards to ensure that the arts are treated as essential to community health, not as an afterthought. I’ve also been active for decades in LGBTQ+ rights, veteran advocacy, and arts accessibility.
What sets me apart isn’t just the titles or the roles — it’s the way I approach them. I didn’t come to this work through a traditional path. I’ve spent more time on the ground than in a boardroom. I’ve learned how to lead by listening, showing up, and bringing people together who may not always see themselves as part of the same conversation — at least at first.
What I’m proudest of? Probably the quiet wins — the relationships built, the doors opened, the trust earned one community at a time.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite memories — and probably one of the most formative — was exploring caves as a teenage spelunker in Kentucky. I had the chance to work alongside professional cavers, mapping underground systems that had never been recorded, and in some cases, never even seen by another human being. There was something magical about stepping into total darkness, knowing we were the first people to ever enter that space, and then carefully documenting every turn, every room, every unexpected drop or passage.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but that experience taught me a lot about how I work today. It was about discovery, about trust — with your team and your instincts — and about leaving something behind that others could follow. Even now, that feeling of forging new paths, navigating uncertainty, and creating something lasting continues to shape how I lead and advocate. Whether I’m building cultural partnerships or navigating policy work, I’m still drawn to the unexplored and committed to mapping it out for others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sandiegomuseumcouncil.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gomuseums/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SanDiegoMuseumCouncil
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boblehman25/
Image Credits
Photos by Bob Lehman so not needed
