Her Story
About Lisa
Lisa Dieter is a Wealth Management Advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She entered the financial services industry after raising her children and returning to her education later in life, building a career that has spanned Bank of America Merrill Lynch, ten years with TIAA, and, most recently, a return to Merrill Lynch, where she now serves as a Financial Advisor and Assistant Vice President. Holding both Series 7 and Series 66 licenses, along with a Personal Investment Advisor certification, Dieter has spent 15 years guiding clients through the complexities of financial planning, always placing their unique goals at the center of her approach.
Dieter's academic foundation includes an associate's degree from Keystone College, earned in 1997, and a bachelor's degree in business finance and teaching from Mary Baldwin University, completed in 2007. Prior to rejoining Merrill Lynch, she devoted a decade to working alongside nonprofit organizations and their leaders, an experience that continues to shape her client-first, mission-driven philosophy today. She views her role as extending beyond market performance, describing herself as a steady presence for clients not only during financial uncertainty but through life's broader challenges as well.
Outside of her professional life, Dieter resides in Virginia Beach with her husband, Patrick, and their four children, Patrick, Nathan, Madeline, and Brayden. She is deeply committed to community service, volunteering with the Amniotic Fluid Embolism Foundation and supporting local school boards and nonprofit initiatives. A strong advocate for women in finance, Dieter is passionate about helping others build financial confidence and often credits her father's early encouragement, along with the resilience she developed during leaner years with her husband, as the foundation of her success.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lisa
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my father and my family. I want my children to see that they can achieve anything they set their minds to, just as my dad always pushed me and believed in me. My husband and I started out with very little, and that early hardship has always driven me to work harder and reach further.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
When I first started at Merrill Lynch, a woman who was retiring gave me a pair of red shoes and told me they were my "power shoes." She said that no matter what I hear or what people say, I should let it go, think of my power shoes, click my heels, and keep moving forward. That advice has stayed with me throughout my career.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them not to be scared. You have to be willing to make the calls and show up in the office. It's important to diversify your time and always stay grounded in your purpose. You can't walk away from being a mother, a wife, or a professional — you have to consciously decide, every day, how you're going to allocate your time across all of it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest opportunity I see is encouraging more women to learn about finance and empower themselves through that knowledge. The biggest challenge is trust — trust that people place in their advisors, in AI, and navigating the economic worries that come with today's environment.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Doing the right thing and being able to sleep at night is my number one priority. This work was never about the money for me — it's about how I can help people and their families. Helping others is my purpose.
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