Lisa Lee Schmidt

Lisa Lee Schmidt is an accomplished professional with extensive experience in arts education and well-being initiatives. As the Founder and Director of Spotlight at Highland Park UMC since August 2010, Lisa developed an annual participatory theater program for adults with intellectual disabilities, fostering positive self-image and empathy through collaboration. In the role of Senior Director of Well-Being at Uplift Education from 2020 to 2023, Lisa established a restorative practices department serving over 25 schools and collaborated on a K-12 social-emotional learning curriculum. With a long tenure at Big Thought from 1993 to 2020, Lisa led the professional development team for a national initiative and founded a project-based program for teens on probation. Additionally, Lisa contributed to Southern Methodist University as guest faculty, conducting workshops for theater and dance majors. Lisa holds a Master’s in Education with a focus on Special Education and a BFA magna cum laude in Theater and Foreign Language.