Lisa plays a critical role in supporting the Duality Accelerator program under the leadership of Director Ezunial “Eze” Burts III and working in collaboration with other members of the Deep Tech Ventures team.

Prior to joining Polsky, Lisa served as Project Manager for East Lake Management & Development group; a 100% minority-owned real estate company focused on developing multi-family residential, retail, office, and industrial real estate. Lisa’s primary focus was leading a digital transformation effort, consisting of transitioning outdated, manual paper processes to a more modernized, online format. This included rental applications, waitlists, and market applications for a portfolio of over 10,000 residential units, and 30 commercial retail units. Her dedication to crafting a comprehensive policy and procedure manual laid the groundwork for standardized and efficient operations across all properties, setting a new industry standard for excellence.

In a remarkable entrepreneurial endeavor dear to her heart, Lisa co-founded The Cambridge School of Chicago, a private elementary school that embraced a holistic approach to education while nurturing the development of each child. Her passion for education and innovation was further exemplified as her own children attended and graduated from Cambridge, benefiting from the Museum of Science and Industry’s Fab Lab as part of the school’s STEM curriculum. The school also participated in annual Spring productions hosted on the University of Chicago’s campus for several years garnering attention from local news anchors and radio personalities.

Lisa earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology while studying at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She simultaneously served as a research assistant, spearheaded student project operations, advanced overall research objectives, collaborated with faculty members and principal investigators, and disseminated research finding through presentations, and conference participation. Prior to that, she earned an Associate of Arts degree from Harold Washington Community College where she was offered a full tuition transfer scholarship based on her hard work and scholarly achievements. Lisa’s academic background underscores her unwavering commitment to education, learning, and research, qualities that continue to shape her approach to entrepreneurship and innovation.

In her spare time, Lisa enjoys roller skating, coordinating bi-annual family reunions across the country, and keeping up with Nova, her spirited mini goldendoodle. Lisa is also an avid pool player when she can find a little extra time to hone her skills.