President
Lisa founded Urban Strategies out of her desire to make a difference within communities in need. Her professional career began in the banking sector, where she was a pioneer in community development efforts, providing national leadership that began in San Antonio. In 1998, she created Bank of America’s national initiative to work with faith-based organizations in the provision of financial services and products as well as in community development partnerships.
In 2001, Lisa was recruited to help launch the White House Faith and Community-Based Initiative. During her two-year tenure, Lisa was instrumental in creating initiatives that welcomed small community and faith-based organizations, advocated for increased accountability of federal resources, and encouraged the removal of
barriers that prevent new entrants into the federal funding stream. Since leaving the White House, Lisa has been a catalyst for several initiatives that have resulted in more than $40 million in new programming primarily focused on the Latino community, including the formation of the multi-million dollar Chicago’s Family Bridges, FuturoNow Family Strengthening Initiative, and the Reclamando Nuestro Futuro adjudicated youth initiative. Lisa has also been a keynote speaker and subject matter expert, and has provided leadership in the Brookings Institute Hispanic Family In Flux Forum and a number of White House Regional Conferences.
Lisa earned her BS in Accounting from Trinity University San Antonio and her MBA from University of Texas in San Antonio. She currently serves on the boards of the Christian Community Development Association, the Seed Company, World Vision, and the Latino Advisory Group for the Campaign to Prevent Unwanted and Teen
Pregnancies. Lisa, her husband, and their three children reside in the Washington, DC area.