Dr. Lisa-Marie Pierre is deeply committed to neighborhood revitalization and economic development. She serves as the Executive Director of Founder Forward, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing economic equity in overlooked regions. The organization provides unrestricted funding, non-prescriptive advisory services, and storytelling amplification for Black, Indigenous, and diverse founders.

Prior to her role at Founder Forward, Dr. Lisa-Marie worked as an innovation strategist at Luminary Labs, where she contributed to future-focused projects in education, workforce development, and infrastructure for the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Her experience also includes providing strategic direction for entrepreneurship programs as part of the Division of Workforce Development & Continuing Education at Bronx Community College/CUNY.

Dr. Lisa-Marie holds degrees and certifications from Sacred Heart Academy, Spelman College, the University of Miami, Michigan State University, and the CORO New York Neighborhood Leadership Program. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she is a published author and enjoys curating Spotify playlists, crafting tea blends, and experimenting with personal knowledge management tools in her free time.