You can ask anyone, Lisa simply does not know how to do things by half measures. For
instance, when she was given the goal of increasing breakfast sales, she overdelivered… by
400%. It’s an understatement when she says things like, “If you give me a challenge, I’ll ask a
few questions, and then I'll achieve it.” There’s no wonder why she’s this month’s Trayblazer!
When nominating Lisa, Kate Wilson, the child nutrition supervisor of Boone County schools
which oversees Randall K. Cooper High School, said, “It’s been a breath of fresh air to have a
manager with such passion. We want her dedication, ideas and business mindset to rub off on
other managers.”
Lisa has been serving the Boone County school district for over 15 years. She started as a parttime
employee and has made her way up through the ranks. Her motivation to succeed has
deep roots. She swam competitively throughout her life and even in college, becoming a lifelong
passion. On top of ensuring students are well fed and ready to learn, she also has been the
Cooper swim coach for 11 years!
When it comes to keeping everyone fed, Lisa channels experiences and insights from coaching
to tap into her students’ mindset. She knows what they need, even if they won’t come out and
say it. For example, she knew her high-school students had to be getting hungry between
meals, but because of their packed schedules, they couldn’t make the trip to the cafeteria to
grab something to eat. So she commandeered a wheeled cart and went around to the
classrooms and dropped off free breakfasts right where they were.
Lisa also goes above and beyond in terms of communication. Part of her success in increasing
breakfast sales was getting everyone on board with understanding how much better students
perform when they have full stomachs. She worked directly with the school principal to get the
word out, and the results speak for themselves.
As a leader, Lisa strives to lead by example — and her students always come first. She says, “If
we care about our cafeteria, then the kids see we care about them. You’ve got to love your job
because you have a huge impact on the students. I always try to bring positive energy and
make the cafeteria a better place.”
When it comes to tools for success, Lisa relies on several items from General Mills to keep her
students and swimmers prepared. She says, “The 2 oz. equivalent grain cereal cups have been
a game changer. They’re the best idea, especially for the high schoolers because they don’t
have to eat them right away.”
It was wonderful to hear Lisa’s story and learn from her experiences, dedication and drive for
serving kids in the community. We know her staff and everyone in the Boone County School
system are lucky to have her as an example of a true, faithful leader. We wish them all
continued success!
Be sure to follow along on their journey!