Creative Ground

Lisa Fitzhugh is a highly acclaimed speaker, facilitator and strategist.  She has over 20 years experience as a leader and consultant in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Today she is a sought-after “creativity catalyst” who helps organizations in every sector access the kind of transformational thinking that drives success in today’s unique business environment.

(Click here for a synopsis of her bodies of work.)

Lisa is also the founder and former executive director of Arts Corps, the largest arts education program in Washington State reaching underserved communities throughout King County.  Arts Corps’ award winning program became a national model for combining arts education with social change. Lisa was selected as one of Redbook Magazine’s 2005 “Mothers and Shakers.” The award recognizes individuals who have created extraordinary grassroots community efforts that have the potential to create national and international models for change.

Lisa has a long history of community activism in the region. She currently serves as co-chair of the Learning Committee for Seattle Center’s 50th Anniversary of the World’s Fair and Board Chair for the Children’s Music Foundation. In 2009 she served as Chair of a Seattle-based grassroots initiative campaign to put the decision to build a new jail on the ballot.

Lisa grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. She holds a political science degree from Duke University.

“Lisa is a high energy, imaginative, and visionary leader. It is a great pleasure to work her. She has an enviable ability to engage diverse groups and help drive projects toward productive outcomes.”

–Peter Berliner, Managing Director, PRI Makers Network

“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

public profiles

“Art Becomes Her” November 2006, Seattle Woman Magazine

“Lisa Fitzhugh: The Art of Survival” March 2006, Seattle Magazine

“Mothers & Shakers” September 2005, Redbook Magazine

selected speaking engagements

TEDxTacoma: Creativity+Authenticity+Seduction=Global Transformation, April 24, 2010

Let’s do this thing. I-100 Launch Party, Seattle WA, February 2009

Keynote: Integrating the Best of Us. Connecting Schools and Communities Conference, June 25, 2008. Melbourne, Australia

Keynote: Signs of Hope: Steeping up to an Activist’s Consciousness, Sustainable Communities Conference, March 2007. Seattle, WA

Community Presentation: The Value of Introspection. Seattle Foundation’s 60th Anniversay, May 16, 2006. Seattle, WA

Commencement Address: Walking in the World. March 2006, Arts Institute of Seattle

Keynote: Creativity = Self-actualization. Islandwood Arts in Education Conference. August 2005. Bainbridge Island, WA

Arts in Community: A Powerful Catalyst. Americans for the Arts Annual Conference. 2004. Washington, DC

Keynote: Bringing a Complex Idea to Fruition. Arts: The Essential Education Conference, November 2004, Johnson City, TN

publications

The folly of building a new Seattle jail. April 10, 2009. Crosscut.com

Embracing the human factor. February 11, 2009. Real Change News

Stop Planning for Prisons and Start Betting on Schools, January 19, 2009. Seattle Times

Sculpture Park? Museum? We are not done yet Seattle. May 30, 2007. Seattle Times

Imagine What Could be if…… March 22, 2007. Seattle Post-Intelligencer

The Story of Arts Corps. August 2005. New Horizons for Learning