We are excited to welcome Elisabeth “Lis” Tobia onto the Lansing YMCA’s executive staff in the newly-created Chief Strategy Officer position. Lis started at the Y in 2016 as a Pilates instructor, and for the past nine months she has been supporting our child care and camp programming as a part-time consultant. In her new position, Lis will work with the CEO and executive team to ensure all YMCA programs are in alignment with the strategic plan.
Lis has more than thirty years of executive leadership experience within public, private, and nonprofit organizations. She was the CEO of Lansing’s acclaimed Educational Child Care Center (EC3) from 2010 to 2022. Prior to this, Lis worked in public policy consulting, managing complex education and health policy projects involving numerous stakeholders, including two Governor-instituted commissions. She specializes in communications, business process analysis, and the management of organizational change.
Lis received her M.B.A. in strategic management from George Mason University, and her B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan. She lives in Lansing with her partner, John Austin, and three cats. Lis is an avid writer and cyclist, and she enjoys home improvement and puzzles in her spare time.