President & CEO

Lisa Fikes cares deeply about building connections that empower individuals and communities to thrive.

As President and CEO of the Leadership Center of Arlington, Lisa has created a unique vision where authentic leadership development and civic engagement work hand-in-hand.

Through her leadership of both the Leadership Center of Arlington and Volunteer Arlington, she has demonstrated how public-private partnerships can drive social impact and that collaboration between sectors is not just valuable, it is essential for lasting success.

Lisa values transformative leadership development that comes from high-quality training, exposure to community and national leaders, and established, trusted relationships. Lisa believes in creating spaces where all perspectives are welcome, and fostering the innovation necessary to navigate today’s leadership challenges. Energized by working with her board, staff, alumni, and community stakeholders, Lisa continues to reenvision how leadership development and civic engagement can create ripple effects of positive influence and impact.

Prior to joining the Leadership Center of Arlington, Lisa served as the Associate for Youth and Children’s Ministries at St. John’s Episcopal Church in McLean, VA, for 18 years. During her tenure there, she coordinated a leadership program at a middle school in Washington, D.C., fostering relationships and dual learnings with students and members of the church across social, racial, generational, and cultural distinctions.

Lisa and her husband, David, are the proud parents of their daughter, Harper (plus three dogs, a hedgehog, and varying numbers of fish).