Seattle Parks Department

One of Creative Ground’s first clients was the Seattle Parks & Recreation Department.  My primary focus at the time was leading staff retreats that focused on developing creative habits of mind for higher staff engagement and performance.  I worked with the Playfields Director, the Recreation Division, and some of the Parks operations staff.  Michele Finnegan, Director of Finance, whose perspective was instrumental in several of my organizational assessments with the Parks Department, became one of my strongest collaborators.

“Creative Ground’s work with clients exemplifies the creative habits they are trying to cultivate in us, particularly tolerance for ambiguity, challenging assumptions, risk-taking, self-reflection and persistence. Lisa’s approach to designing and implementing projects allows for a truly creative collaboration between her vision and that of her client’s to achieve the greatest possible impact.

-Michele Finnegan, Director of Finance, Seattle Parks & Recreation

Thought Partnership for Creativity

In the first decade of my career, I worked primarily for elected officials and built many connections within Seattle’s local and regional political worlds.  I worked for Tom Weeks, former City Council Member and served on the New School Foundation Board with him several years later.  Reuven Carlyle, a WA State legislator for many years, and I shared many ideas over the years about the challenges in government and how we could make government work better.   All three of us sought to challenge the status quo in our own ways.

“Lisa offers far-reaching, creative visions and then builds smart, effective, and politically savvy ways to get there.  She pushes a group's thinking way outside the box, then has a delightful ability to bring ideas back to the ground so real, sustainable action can take place.  I am always sure that the projects she works on will challenge our assumptions and reveal new solutions and ways of seeing the world.”

–Tom Weeks, previous Seattle City Council Member

“Lisa brings deep insight, serious experience, and a unique perspective that is extremely valuable to organizations struggling with major personnel, policy and structural challenges. I have found her counsel to be nuanced and challenging, focused and compelling. She views change management as a cause and helps leaders to embrace systems holistically. A true professional and a kind, gracious person.”

--Reuven Carlyle, former Washington State Senator

Community Planning in Johnson City

Sarah Davis invited me to Johnson City, Tennessee 25 years ago seeking to learn from my experience creating Arts Corps, the non-profit arts organization I founded in 2000 and led as Executive Director for 8 years.  She asked me to be the keynote for their annual arts conference and invited me back again a few years later.  Since then, she has engaged me in a number of ways, all related to facilitating creativity with individuals and within groups. 

Our most interesting collaboration was for the City of Johnson City.  City leaders hired me to shape a day-long workshop to engage over 100 community leaders on their visions for the City’s future and how to get there.   I designed a sequence of exercises to weave the personal together with the collective in such a way that their single vision was able to hold a cohesive dream that all participants could see themselves within.

“For 14 years, I’ve seen Lisa in numerous professional situations—motivational speaking, retreat facilitation, community visioning, and leading. She is a deep listener and sows seeds for change that resonate long after she has left the room. Witnessing participants reconnect with their own creative rocket fuel is something to behold! Her authentic spirit leads us to new places where we can tap into our full potentials and see the vision for a world healed and enlivened by collaboration and creativity. Lisa IS the rocket fuel that everyone needs.”

–Sarah Davis, Board Member, Going Elemental