I’m Lisa.
Artist, Illustrator, Designer, and Art Director.
"As a great doctor and mentor once taught me, you don’t do good work for the recognition, you do it because it’s the right thing to do for other people. That is the standard I bring to my own work."
I studied both science and art, and I’ve spent the last several years directing illustration work in medical education. Before that, I worked as a researcher and scientific illustrator. My background spans fine arts, design, microbiology, and the development and management of large-scale illustration projects. I’m originally from Texas and now live in the Bay Area with my husband and our beloved pit bull, Thomas.
My interest in illustration started early because of my medical history. I’ve had eye issues since birth, with multiple surgeries, complications, and more than ten eye doctors by the time I was a teenager. I spent many hours in waiting rooms, drawn to the medical illustrations on the walls. They helped me make sense of what was happening to me and gave me a way to connect with my own biology. They also inspired me to draw. I drew everything I could, thinking that if I ever lost my sight, I might at least hold onto a visual memory of what I sketched. That experience is what set me on the path toward illustration.
I earned a BFA in Fine Arts with minors in illustration and biology, then later completed a BS in microbiology at the University of Texas at Austin. I wanted to build a solid foundation for myself, to understand science directly without relying on others to explain it to me, and I was fascinated by the idea of visualizing things that cannot be seen with the naked eye. While at UT, I worked as a research assistant, where I gained hands-on lab experience and created scientific illustrations for academic publications and presentations.
Professionally, I’ve worked as a medical illustrator, lead illustrator, and then art director. I specialize in visual storytelling and I’m skilled at translating words into images, whether through mockups, sketches, refined illustrations, or full design layouts. I have extensive experience working within brand systems and creating imagery and editing designs and photographs across different stylistic environments. I know how to generate original ideas, scale creative processes, and lead teams to deliver consistent, high-quality work.
I was fortunate to have doctors who helped me preserve my eyesight, and those experiences drive my commitment to visual storytelling and design. As a great doctor and mentor once taught me, you don’t do good work for recognition, you do it because it’s the right thing to do for other people. That is the standard I bring to my own work.
Whether you need someone to lead a creative team, someone with a sharp eye for composition, or an expert in Adobe Creative Suite, I bring the skills and experience to deliver strong results and I like to build relationships that last.
Warmly,
