Lisa Garcia

Lisa Garcia joined Western Michigan University in 2012 to lead the Business Connection and currently serves as Assistant Vice President for External Partnerships, overseeing corporate and community partnerships. Before entering higher education, Garcia spent over 20 years as an advertising and marketing executive in major markets including New York, Chicago, and Dallas, managing relationships with companies such as Kellogg’s and Nickelodeon.

Garcia holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Michigan and a master’s in advertising from the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently completing a Ph.D. in higher education leadership at WMU, with a dissertation focused on Latina leadership in community colleges.

A dedicated campus and community leader, Garcia currently serves as 2nd Vice Chair of the United Way of South Central Michigan's Board of Directors, sits on KRESA’s Career Connect Leadership Advisory Board, and co-convenes the WMU/Kalamazoo Literacy Council Advisory Board. She co-founded ELLAS, a Latina leadership group in Kalamazoo, and serves on its executive board. Her published works include topics such as women’s leadership in community colleges, educational technology, and gender bias.