Lisa is a principal research director in NORC’s Education & Child Development department. She leads and supports research and technical assistance efforts that help educators use data and evidence to improve student outcomes. Lisa has 18 years of experience conducting research and providing technical assistance to support the research-based implementation of education policy and practice initiatives. She specializes in communication and knowledge utilization strategies to facilitate use of research in decision making and planning processes at the state and local level. Lisa currently serves as dissemination lead for the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Pacific, where she oversees the development of accessible, locally relevant products that support evidence use across Pacific jurisdictions.

Prior to joining NORC, Lisa held leadership roles at the University of Oregon’s HEDCO Institute within the College of Education and the American Institutes for Research (AIR). At the HEDCO Institute, she developed and maintained the institute’s external partnerships with K-12 school leadership organizations, school districts, professional societies, foundations, research and policy institutions, and business and industry partners. She also developed the institute’s strategic communications and marketing plans.

At AIR, she directed strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and communications for large-scale federal contracts and grants, including the What Works Clearinghouse, REL Midwest, and the Midwest Comprehensive Center. She also led efforts to provide high-quality support to state education agencies as they designed and implemented initiatives aimed at supporting student success. Her work has supported federal agencies such as the Institute of Education Sciences and the U.S. Department of Education, and she has contributed to various publications and presentations on education policy and student success and well-being.