Her Story
About Lisa
My journey in education spans over 25 years, beginning as a high school teacher with endorsements in special education, social studies, and English as a second language. I started as an English major, but through conversations along the way, I discovered that my true passion was in special education.
Working in the Chicago area, I spent years developing curriculum and adapting lessons for both special education students and English learners, collaborating with teams to create individualized learning experiences.
Today, I teach English online, which allows me the creative freedom to design lessons that are truly tailored to each student. I value meeting people where they are and helping them grow in a way that feels real and meaningful.
Teaching has been my calling since second grade, and I continue to learn and grow right alongside the people I work with.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lisa
01What do you attribute your success to?
When I think about what has shaped me most, it isn’t just my education or experience—it’s the people who have come alongside me over the years.
There have been many people in my life who have supported me and believed in me, even during times when I struggled to believe in myself. They stood by me through difficult seasons, saw something in me beyond what was on the surface, and didn’t walk away when things weren’t easy.
That kind of support stays with you—and it’s shaped how I show up for others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever received was simple: focus on your students.
Don’t let everything else—the system, the distractions, the frustrations—cloud why you’re there. You’re there to help people grow, to help them learn, and to support them in reaching their goals. It’s not about you.
A former colleague used to say this often, and it wasn’t always easy to hear. It’s hard not to focus on the negative when you’re in it every day. But over time, I came to understand what he meant—stay grounded in the people in front of you.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be true to who you are.
There will be moments where it feels easier—or even expected—to compromise. But it’s not worth it. Stay true to yourself and to what you know in your heart.
It may take longer. It may be more difficult. But that conviction will guide you. We don’t always trust it, but it’s there—and if you stay with it, it will lead you where you’re meant to go.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Education can be both challenging and rewarding. At times, it can feel like you’re working within a system that makes things more difficult than they should be. Those challenges are real.
At the same time, there is always opportunity—opportunity to grow, to be creative, and to expand on your own passions as an educator.
For me, one of the most meaningful shifts has been the ability to focus on individuals. That’s where I see the greatest impact—when teaching becomes personal, flexible, and responsive to the person in front of you.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My faith is at the center of who I am.
I’m a Christian, and my faith has carried me through every season—the highs and the lows. It has been my constant, the foundation I stand on when everything else feels uncertain.
There’s something powerful about believing in something greater than yourself—something that guides you, steadies you, and reminds you that you’re not walking through life alone.
That’s what grounds me, both in life and in the work I do.
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