Prior to joining MSRI, Lisa worked as an academic advisor in a wide range of institutions, including The Art Institute of California, Parsons the New School for Design, and New York University. In earlier years, Lisa worked as a properties artisan at The Juilliard School and Spaeth Design. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Columbia College at Columbia University and a Master of Arts from The Gallatin School for Individualized Study at New York University.