Lisa D. McGill, PhD, is nationally known for her youth advocacy work and helps grantmakers with their strategies to support the successful transitions of young people to adulthood, with a focus on their connection to education and employment. She also works with foundations and their community partners to deepen the perceptions around how diverse people lead, follow and give. This work positions her as a thought leader around the issue of philanthropy by people of color – who they are, what they give to and why. She has contributed to numerous publications about diversity and leadership in philanthropy.
 
Lisa’s most strident work in this area is through convening people in efficient learning communities, where she curates their conversations and skill-building around philanthropic strategies with a racial equity lens. Through her consulting, Lisa focuses on the development and implementation of programs and initiatives that encourage better relationships between institutions and communities, particularly those communities that are under-resourced. 
 
Lisa earned a bachelor’s degree in English modified with Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Dartmouth College, a master’s degree of arts and a master’s degree of philosophy in American Studies from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University. Married and the parent of one child, Lisa lives in metropolitan Chicago.