Lisa began her tenure with CooperRiis in 2006 as Garden Manager and Horticultural Therapist where she strived to engage residents in work that embodied the Seven Domains of Recovery. From 2009 to 2015, Lisa served as the Community Work & Service Director at the CooperRiis Farm campus, where she worked to create a meaningful and consistent program, allowing residents and staff to work together for the common good of the community. Lisa transitioned to a role as Managing Director at the Farm, providing program oversight and leadership to both the Farm and Foothills Community Program and in 2016 moved to Asheville and served as Managing Director for 85Z and the Asheville Community Program.
Lisa’s extensive experience and knowledge of CooperRiis and recovery, paired with her interest in research and infrastructure, allows her to be in a unique position to serve the community in her current role, focusing on outcomes measurement, satisfaction for all stakeholders, compliance; CARF Accreditation and Training (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities), and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).
Lisa is committed to ensuring that all residents are having a successful recovery process. She is also invested in providing support and continuity for the staff, allowing them to be effective and satisfied in their roles.
Lisa is passionate about wellness and completed her doctorate degree in holistic nutrition. Her dissertation project, completed at CooperRiis, was focused on using the supplementation of L-tryptophan to reduce the impact of neuroleptic (antipsychotic) medications. The outcomes proved positive as an alternative approach to treating the symptoms of psychosis. Lisa is also a certified Subtle Yoga instructor and offers classes to the community weekly.
Lisa and her children lived on the farm for three years, where they enjoyed daily interaction with the residents, staff and farm animals. Currently they reside in Asheville, and still enjoy spending time in the community.
Lisa earned her Holistic Nutrition Ph.D. from Hawthorn University, M.S. in Horticultural Therapy at Kansas State University, and a B.S. in psychology from Michigan State University.
