Lisa Romero is an award-winning brand and team builder with three decades of experience driving success across corporate, non-profit, science, and education sectors. A Tucson native deeply engaged in her community and state, she has held leadership roles in seven high-impact Southern Arizona organizations and advised numerous executives and companies throughout her career. 

At the University of Arizona, Lisa served as Associate Vice President of Research Communications for the past three years and previously led public affairs and engagement for the BIO5 Institute for a decade. In both roles, she built strategic portfolios that elevated faculty visibility, advanced thought leadership, expanded stakeholder engagement, and positioned the university as a leader in research, translational health and biosciences, innovation, and workforce development. Prior to the U of A, Lisa was the Director of Communications and Strategic Engagement at the Critical Path Institute (C-Path).  

Lisa’s accomplishments have been recognized with multiple honors, including the Public Relations Society of America Southern Arizona Career Impact award (2024), University of Arizona Woman of Impact (2023), Team Award for Excellence (2017), and Academic Leadership Institute Fellow (2013-2014). She is an active member of Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee.  

Lisa is a graduate of Amphitheater High School in Tucson and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Justice Studies from Arizona State University.