Lisa was born and raised in Cleveland, OH and received a Bachelor’s in Biology from Kenyon College and a Master’s in Microbiology/Immunology from Emory University. She was then lured to San Diego by the great weather and top scientific research community, where she worked over a twelve-year period as an immunological research associate for institutions including Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, Johnson & Johnson and Viagene, Inc.
After marrying her husband Tom, a lawyer, and bringing two children, Kevin and Marie, into the world, Lisa took a break from science to become a full-time mother. She transitioned from a world of test tubes and microassays to one filled with soccer games and sailing regattas. Once her children entered high school, Lisa became immersed in college preparation, learning about the importance of GPAs, SATs, ACTs, test preparation, financial aid, campus tours, college athletics and applications, all of which she found interesting.
After both children headed off to college as student-athletes, Kevin to Stanford as a sailor and Marie to Kenyon as a soccer player, Lisa looked for a way to stay involved in the college process. She began volunteering with a local community-based organization to help first generation, low-income students to prepare for and apply to college. In order to become more effective in this position, Lisa earned a College Counseling Certificate from UCSD Extension. Having now worked as both a volunteer and a professional counselor, she has developed a passion for helping students of all academic and socioeconomic levels to attend college. As a Passport advisor, Lisa looks forward to sharing her college application experience with her students.
When not working with college-bound students, Lisa enjoys exercising daily, taking epic hikes (Mount Whitney, Grand Canyon, Half Dome), reading and spending time with family, including her cat Siri and dog Tini.