Lisa Lazare

Lisa Lazare is a visionary leader and strategist with more than a decade of advancing equity, policy change, and leadership development across education and advocacy sectors. As the Executive Director of Educators for Excellence – Massachusetts, Lisa has championed inclusive policymaking by building educator-led movements, designing campaigns that protect teacher diversity, and shaping state-level legislation that centers student equity and racial justice.

A former chemistry teacher, robotics coach, and LGBTQ+ club founder in Texas, Lisa brings a unique blend of on-the-ground experience, strategic vision, and policy acumen. She has testified before state legislatures, worked alongside national coalitions, and led cross-functional teams to mobilize thousands of educators around critical education issues.

Rooted in her own experience as an immigrant student and public school educator, Lisa’s work is guided by her deep belief in the transformative power of community voice. She founded Tribal, a statewide network focused on the recruitment and retention of BIPOC educators. More recently, she launched the Massachusetts Educator Collective for Change (MECC)—an inaugural leadership and policy fellowship that equips teacher leaders to drive systemic change from the classroom to the State House.

Lisa is a sought-after speaker and thought partner, with featured engagements at the Harvard Black Policy Conference, The Education Trust, and the Black Male Educators Convening. In 2023, the City of Boston honored her as a Liberation Leader, recognizing her unwavering commitment to ensuring every student thrives—regardless of zip code, background, or identity.

Across every role, Lisa is known for her bold thinking, collaborative leadership, and drive to build systems that are not just inclusive but liberatory.