Supporting student access has been the focus for Lisa Radcliffe ’82 ever since reconnecting with her alma mater nearly two decades after graduation. Along with her husband David, Lisa has created an endowed scholarship, given to student opportunity funds, and been a devoted annual supporter of the Emma Fund.

“You know, it’s strange because for so long I wasn’t really connected in a significant way,” reflects Lisa. “It had probably been 20 years when a staff member from Emma Willard's Development Office invited me to have coffee, and she discussed supporting the school. It was that simple; nobody had asked me to get involved before. I know that might sound silly, but it was so powerful to have someone sit me down and say, ‘Emma needs you.’”

Since then, Lisa has been an ardent supporter of Emma Willard in myriad ways, notably serving as a past co-chair of the Emma Fund and as a current trustee of the Board since 2014. In 2022, she was the recipient of the Service to Emma Willard Award at her 40th Reunion, which acknowledged her decades of service to the school. Lisa actively connects with other Emma alumnae living in New York City, helping to expand alumnae engagement there and among her classmates from 1982. Her professional experience in information technology has spanned the gamut of accessibility and human services, providing insight to her role as a member of the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee of the Board.

“Being on the Board has been every bit as educational, formative, and important to me as my four years as a student at Emma Willard were,” said Lisa. “Now, I cannot stress enough how much it means to get involved, even though I didn’t set out that way myself.”

While their support has helped ensure access to Emma Willard, Lisa and David have also helped many students make college and career connections through their own technology and software development networks, respectively. Lisa, who now serves as chief operating officer at Sanctuary For Families, has even partnered with Emma’s experiential learning program to offer Signature students real-world experience through her workplace. 

“I’ve seen the incredible results of an Emma education first hand,” shares David. “Not only in Lisa’s life but also in the lives of her friends and the students I’ve met over the years. So, to be in a position where we can help others benefit from that whole experience is such a privilege and it truly is life-changing.”

It’s the opportunity to make that difference in the lives of young people that Lisa and David highlight as their personal passion and philanthropic focus. In addition, they have worked tirelessly in support of members of the disabled community for over a decade, pursuing disability rights, employment, and other avenues of advocacy. Lisa’s advocacy work also crosses over into her professional life at Sanctuary For Families, where they support the victims and survivors of gender-based violence, human trafficking, domestic violence, and cyberbullying.

“I’m a mission-focused human, for sure, especially in support of disenfranchised communities,” explains Lisa. “In many ways, I think that a girls' school is still so relevant in our society because, despite how far we’ve come, it’s very clear to me how far we have to go in terms of women’s autonomy, women’s futures, and women’s voices.”

As with so many alumnae, Lisa credits Emma Willard School as being the first place in her life where she experienced a truly level playing field for women. With her and David’s most recent support to the school, Lisa provided Emma Willard with an endowed scholarship in the form of a bequest that will help future generations of students access the same opportunities she had. 
“My hope for the future is that Emma Willard continues to give voice to girls and women, as it did for me. I believe Emma is uniquely positioned to do this and it gives me hope to know there continue to be places like this for girls and women!”