Lisa Kiplinger Kennedy

Lisa Kiplinger Kennedy is an innovative organizational leader, strategic ecosystem builder, and dedicated advocate for socioeconomic mobility through education. As the Executive Director of the Barstow College Foundation, Lisa champions the cultivation of regional partnerships, resource development, and collaborative infrastructure designed to elevate student success.

Lisa brings a wealthy foundational knowledge of the California Community College system and regional economic development to Barstow. She previously served as the Regional Director of Business and Entrepreneurship for the Inland Empire Regional Consortium, aligning regional education efforts with workforce needs across critical sectors, including Business & Entrepreneurship. In that role, she spearheaded pioneering initiatives such as the region's first virtual marketing internship program and successfully fostered cross-institutional collaborations between neighboring colleges to maximize student opportunities.

Areas of Expertise:

• Resource Development & Philanthropic Growth
• Strategic Ecosystem Building & Cross-Sector Collaboration
• Career-Connected Learning & Workforce Infrastructure

Lisa holds an MBA from the University of La Verne and remains deeply integrated into the regional community, serving on local civic boards including the Greater High Desert Chamber of Commerce and the MicroEntreprise Collaborative of Southern CA. At the Barstow College Foundation, she is focused on aligning philanthropic investment with regional workforce needs, ensuring students have the financial resources and community networks required to achieve true career readiness and long-term economic prosperity.

"Our systems shouldn't just optimize for graduation checkmarks; they need to optimize for student clarity, confidence, and community impact."