Lisa Marks considers herself a lifelong learner and has a great respect for and love of public education. Growing up in San Jose within a blue-collar family, she dreamt of one day graduating from university. She earned an AA from Evergreen Valley College in San Jose and entered the workforce, intending to complete her bachelor’s degree but, instead, started a family with her husband of 32 years, George.

While living in San Jose, she worked as an Executive Assistant in Silicon Valley, primarily in Human Resources. She also volunteered in her children’s classrooms, served on the board of her local Little League, and worked in the parent co-op preschools her children attended.

In 2001, Lisa and her husband moved to Hollister, seeking a more rural, small-town atmosphere for their three children who were then, 14, 11, and 5 years old. Her youngest two children attended schools in Hollister School District. Marks said she made it a priority to volunteer in her children’s classrooms while they attended Hollister School District. “I was able to see, first-hand, various learning environments and how children can be motivated or not by opportunities to engage with the curriculum,” she said.

Since moving to San Benito County, Lisa has volunteered her time and efforts to community organizations. She worked with a group of residents who collected signatures and worked on the design of and to secure a grant for the water feature at Valley View Park, widely known as the whale park. Marks also participated in and served as the secretary for the San Benito County Democratic Central Committee between 2016 – 2020.

Lisa earned a BA in Communications from California State University, Monterey Bay, in 2009. She is currently a part-time Project Manager for Living ROI in Scotts Valley and has local work experience tutoring students, bookkeeping, as well as administrative support for the Naval Postgraduate School and at CSUMB.

Lisa firmly believes that all students deserve access to a good quality education that is equal for all in a school system where they feel seen, heard, valued, and encouraged to be the best student and person they can be. She believes that Hollister School District can provide those things to all children in the district, creating a love of learning and preparing them for success in higher education and in life.