Lisa grew up in Donnesville, Ohio, on a 17-acre farm surrounded by horses, dogs, cats, goats, rabbits, and the occasional chicken. Needless to say, “outdoor childhood” is probably an understatement. Growing up around that many animals gave Lisa plenty of opportunities for adventure, responsibility, and the occasional unexpected lesson in humility.

These days, Lisa’s adventures have taken a more literary turn. She is currently editing her second novel, which is part of a fantasy series she is writing, while also working on her third. Her goal is to eventually become a published author, so when she’s not at the dojo, there’s a good chance you’ll find her somewhere surrounded by books, writing, or trying to convince fictional characters to behave themselves.

If Lisa could have dinner with anyone in history, she’d choose Helen Keller. She has been fascinated by Keller’s life since high school and has always admired her determination, accomplishments as a writer, and advocacy for others despite being both deaf and blind. Of course, Lisa wouldn’t be satisfied with just one remarkable guest. She’d also insist that Helen’s teacher, friend, and lifelong companion Anne Sullivan come along. After all, if you’re going to arrange a once-in-a-lifetime dinner, you might as well do it properly.

Lisa’s approach to difficult times is straightforward: keep pushing forward. And if she needs an extra reason to keep going, she’ll do it for the people she cares about. Family and friends mean a great deal to her, and she is willing to go to great lengths for the people in her life.

Her love of horses also produced one of her most memorable childhood adventures. While participating in a 4-H costume contest, Lisa was riding her horse without a saddle—which, as she freely admits, wasn’t exactly her strongest riding skill. While everyone was lined up waiting for the prizes, another contestant’s horse came by to collect an award. There was just one small complication: the horse was dressed as a fish. Its enormous fishtail swung around and smacked Lisa’s horse directly in the face. The horse panicked, took off, and somehow managed to leave Lisa standing perfectly upright on the ground, feet first, as though someone had pulled a tablecloth out from underneath her and left the dishes sitting untouched.

For several bewildered moments, Lisa stood there wondering where her horse had gone.

Fortunately, she wasn’t injured—unless you count her pride—and she was able to catch up with her horse and get back on. To this day, however, the story remains a pretty good reminder that when you’re working with horses, you should always be prepared for the unexpected. Especially when there’s a fish involved.

Qualifications

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