Lisa joined the U.S. Navy in 1992, becoming a Construction Mechanic with the Seabees. She became the first African-American woman to qualify as a Seabee Diver in 1998. At Underwater Construction Team TWO, she supported operations in the Pacific, contributing to Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom – Pacific. Named Sailor of the Year in 2008 and 2009, she served as Assistant Dive Locker Operations Officer at NAVFAC ESC. She earned associate degrees in Electrical Mechanical and Oceanography Technology in 2008. Currently, she works as an Ocean Engineering Technician at the NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center in Port Hueneme, California.