Lyda is a founding board member and current Executive Director of the LEF Foundation. In 2002 she launched the LEF Moving Image Fund that supports New England documentary filmmakers. She has been recognized by the Massachusetts Cultural Council with the prestigious Commonwealth Award and honored by Women in Film and Video New England with the Image Award for Vision & Excellence in the media arts. She is a board member of Creative Capital and IndieCollect. In addition to her philanthropic work, she is also an independent filmmaker. In 2011, she had her debut as director/producer with her film, Love and Other Anxieties; and served as executive producer for Secundaria, with director Mary Jane Doherty, which premiered in 2013.