Her Story
About Lisa
Lisa Wolfe is a dedicated Special Education Teacher with over 26 years of experience in education, currently serving within Tulsa Public Schools at TRAICE Academy, an alternative education setting for students in grades 9–12 who are on long-term suspension. She specializes in English Language Arts instruction with a strong focus on literacy, writing development, and structured, small-group learning environments. In her current role, she supports students through direct instruction, individualized learning strategies, and consistent classroom structure designed to promote academic growth and personal accountability.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts Education from Langston University and completed her Master of Education in Reading Teacher Education at Northeastern State University. She also completed graduate-level coursework in Educational Leadership at Oklahoma State University. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to professional growth and excellence in teaching, earning recognition such as the Trail Blazer Award and the Golden Apple Award. In addition to her classroom achievements, she is also a published author of the memoir Unbroken, reflecting her commitment to education, resilience, and personal storytelling.
Before becoming a long-serving educator, she worked in a variety of fields including certified nursing assistance, police dispatch, and retail customer service, experiences that helped shape her strong communication skills and empathy for diverse communities. She is also active in professional and civic organizations, including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Delta Kappa. Guided by values of integrity, honor, compassion, and understanding, she remains deeply committed to empowering students, strengthening literacy skills, and creating supportive learning environments where all students can succeed.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Lisa
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my relationship with God. I depend on Him fully, and I trust His guidance in my life. He strengthens me, provides what I need, and gives me the resilience to move forward and stand firm when challenges arise.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've ever received is when I got into education to always be a lifelong learner, to never stop learning, to always have that curiosity to learn more and to become better.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice that I would give to a young woman entering education would be to establish relationships, because the most important thing that you can do in education is to establish relationships, not only with your students, especially with your students, but also with your coworkers and parents. Establish that relationship and cultivate it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in education right now would of course be our salary. You know, we're very wealthfully underpaid and overworked and undervalued. And I guess the biggest reward would always be my students and the relationships that I continue to have with them, even after they graduate.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are integrity, honor, understanding, and compassion.
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