Hi, I’m Lisa.

I’m a passionate health coach living in Durham, North Carolina, with my husband, our cat, and three chickens. When I’m not working with my clients, I spend time traveling, practicing yoga, volunteering with organizations that help adults with cancer, and writing about climate change.

I’m a former senior corporate manager who had a successful career as one of a few women leaders in an environmental and engineering company. I was fortunate to have terrific employees, coworkers, and clients. However, the recession and a change in my husband’s employer-led me to Virginia and to academia. As an adjunct professor I taught several courses, including Human Biology, General Biology, Nutrition, and Environmental Science; teaching these topics helped me gain a deeper insight into how the human body works, the importance of good nutrition, the importance of a clean environment and some of the common chronic diseases that plague so many Americans.

I’ve also had my own journey with chronic disease, a pain disorder that consumed my life. Over several years, doctors speculated that I had fibromyalgia, an autoimmune disorder, or Lyme disease. After endless hours of doing my own research, finding the right professionals (including an amazing massage therapist!), and learning how to feed both my body and soul, I recovered. I’ve been pain-free for several years — in fact, I’m in the best shape of my life!

So, I wanted to make up for lost time. My husband and I sold our home in the Virginia mountains (along with rooms full of furniture!) to live a simpler, richer life. One that prioritizes health and life experiences over material things.

And I founded Lasting Change, LLC, a practice that focuses on a holistic approach to health and wellness. Gaining control of my own health inspired me to use my experiences to help others. I know what it’s like to work in a high-stress environment, the pressure of taking care of others and sacrificing health for the sake of other things. But more importantly, I know how a life of health and happiness can be achieved.

Desiring a deeper understanding of how I can help clients achieve optimal health, I enrolled in the School of Applied Functional Medicine. This school has confirmed my belief that you can take control of your health by getting to the root cause of any symptom. One of the ways I do this is by addressing digestive problems which can wreak havoc over your entire body which leads to allergies, arthritis, rashes, insomnia, chronic fatigue, mood disorders, etc. Having good gut health is central to your entire health. It’s connected to everything that happens in your body.

That’s why I almost always start helping people treat chronic health problems by fixing their gut.
As a health advocate, I work mainly with mid- to late-career professionals who are interested in taking control of their wellness today so that they can more fully enjoy an active retirement later. With my help, clients develop life-long changes in a wide range of areas that affect their health — sleeping and eating better, curtailing stress, eliminating cravings, improving energy, and enjoying a more fulfilling life. Lasting Change is my way to help others live a life they love!