About
The academic fields of social work and law are concerned with fostering human dignity, growth, justice and empowerment. In her position as a program manager in the Center for Continuing Education, Lisa seeks to develop meaningful programs for adult and undergraduate learners that foster these objectives, along with many others, through competency-building. Ethical leadership and emotional intelligence are her primary areas of academic interest. Lisa is passionate about supporting students in their own growth journey that applies ethical leadership to life. Her teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that personal engagement is the key to meaningful learning.
Lisa designed the Certificate in Ethical Leadership and teaches within the program. She seeks out leadership training on a regular basis, such as the annual Mindful Leadership Summit. Lisa developed and has taught IDS 220, Emotional Intelligence and IDS 320, Ethical Leadership. She co-authored “How Do You Effectively Teach Empathy Skills to Students?,” published in 2017 by Jossey Bass as a chapter of Big Picture Pedagogy: Finding Interdisciplinary Solutions to Common Learning Problems. She presented highlights of the chapter with a co-author, Dr. Maria Cuzzo, at the 2015 OPID Spring Conference. Lisa has participated in international training seminars through Soka Gakkai International and has held a number of leadership positions within the U.S. organization, SGI-USA.
Lisa’s favorite ways to spend personal time involve people and nature, but cinema, books and creative endeavors are always on her list. She is a member of an international Buddhist lay organization, Soka Gakkai International, and actively supports the local district as well as the student organization on campus. Lisa has a lifelong passion for Lake Superior and the beauty of the region, and she and her husband (and dogs) enjoy getting outdoors and traveling.
Education
- 2004 – Juris Doctorate (J.D.) – Law, Drake University Law School
- 1987 – Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) – University of Minnesota
- 1985 – Bachelor of Science (B.S.) – Social Work/Family Social Science/Psychology, University of Minnesota