Lisa Clancy, Project Manager

Lisa Clancy was a mere five years old when her mother dressed her in a “Kids Can’t Vote But You Can” Children’s Defense Fund t-shirt for a community Fourth of July parade. More than 20 years later, Lisa is a strong advocate for children and believes passionately that every child has the right to a free, appropriate, and high-quality public education. A native of the St. Louis area, she earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree in 2008 from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where she was selected by the faculty to represent the school during graduation as Student Marshal and Outstanding Student of Social Work. Her undergraduate internship experiences included working with children and families at Redevelopment Opportunities for Women, as well as policy and advocacy work through internships at Citizens for Missouri’s Children and in the Washington, D.C., office of Senator Claire McCaskill. Following undergrad, Lisa accepted a two-year commitment as a Teach For America corps member where she taught elementary special education just outside of New Orleans. As a teacher, Lisa saw how the influence of adults and our choices can make or break a child’s future. She realized the desperate need for strong advocates for students both in and out of the classroom. Lisa returned to St. Louis in 2010, where she is currently a Master’s of Social Work student at the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis; she will complete the program in May. Her graduate studies have focused on social and economic development, urban education, and advocacy. Before coming to the Children’s Education Council of Missouri, Lisa was an intern at KIPP Inspire Academy, where she worked closely with the school social worker to bring social, emotional, and health resources to 170 KIPP students and families. She works part-time as Alumni Affairs Coordinator at Teach For America-St. Louis and serves on the Programs Advisory Committee at the Youth Learning Center as well as the Teach For America – St. Louis Political Working Group.