About Lisanna

Lisanna began her academic journey at De Anza College before earning a degree in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she focused on political theory and public institutions. Her early experience interning with California State Assemblymember Joe Coto sparked her dedication to public policy and local governance.

Today, Lisanna serves as Director for District 6 of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, where she helps guide regional land stewardship, environmental resilience, and equitable access to open space for communities across Santa Clara County. She is committed to ensuring that public lands are preserved responsibly and that all families, especially those in historically underserved neighborhoods, have meaningful access to natural spaces.

Professionally, Lisanna serves as Chief Development Officer of the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, where she leads strategic growth initiatives and advances equitable access to STEM education across the region. Throughout her career, she has led multimillion-dollar budgets, developed strategic plans, and built cross-sector partnerships that drive long-term systems change.

Lisanna has also served in leadership roles with the Latino Education Advancement Foundation and the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, strengthening educational opportunity and community advocacy efforts across San José.

She currently serves as Board Member to the Latino Leadership Alliance, CreaTV San José, and Center for Employment Training. Her work has been recognized by the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women and the Silicon Valley Business Journal, among others.

Lisanna believes strong communities are built through responsible governance, public accountability, and ensuring that opportunity whether in education or access to open space  is available to all.