Lisa Swain
Senior Facilitator and Advisor
Lisa joined the Advisory Board for the Arts in 2021 and currently serves as Senior Facilitator and Advisor. She previously served as Executive Director of Member Services and Operations, and in that capacity she established and led ABA’s client servicing team.
As a trainer and facilitator, Lisa has led sessions, workshops, and retreats for performing arts organizations across the US, including institutions such as the LA Phil, Houston Ballet, Spoleto Festival USA, the Alley Theatre, and San Francisco Opera, among others. She has experience working with team members across all departments and disciplines, from production and stage crew, to front of house and facilities staff, to administrative staff and board leadership. Lisa brings nearly twenty years of experience in the performing arts industry to her facilitation work, including experience with both producing and presenting organizations, as well as educational institutions, of all scales.
Prior to joining ABA, Lisa served as Chief of Staff at Houston Grand Opera, one of the largest, most innovative, and most highly acclaimed opera companies in the United States. She worked closely with the company’s Managing Director on operations and companywide initiatives, as well as crisis-response efforts related to Hurricane Harvey and the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, Lisa produced a variety of events and sold-out special performances.
Before relocating to Houston in 2013, Lisa worked with other esteemed performing arts organizations including Cincinnati Opera, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Opera Department, and the National Symphony Orchestra. She spent two years managing the Preparatory Division of the Shepherd University School of Music and served on the Board of Directors of the Friends of Music, a presenting organization in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Additionally, she has held internships with Baltimore Choral Arts Society, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Washington National Opera.
Lisa holds a B.M.E. from Shepherd University, an M.B.A. from the University of Cincinnati, and an M.A. in Arts Administration from the UC College-Conservatory of Music. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Lisa currently lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and their daughter.