Lisa is from Hilo and currently resides with her ʻohana in Keaʻau, Hawaiʻi. She spent several years as a high school science teacher and environmental programs leader before returning to the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo to study conservation biology and avian ecology.

Lisa has spent the last few years learning about the complexity of Hawaiian soundscapes and the cultural evolution of native Hawaiian forest birds. Currently, she is researching the acoustic behaviors of the critically endangered Palila on Mauna Kea.

Lisa has volunteered with NexTech Hawaiʻi since 2017.