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Lisa R. Davis

Senior Managing Director and Co-Lead, DEI Advisory

Lisa R. Davis is a Senior Managing Director at Teneo, the global CEO advisory firm. She is an acknowledged and award-winning executive with a proven track record of success in high-profile entities across corporate, government, non-profit and political sectors. Lisa has also been named a senior fellow for the Marketing and Communications Institute of The Conference Board, a global, independent business membership and research association working in the public interest.

At Teneo, Lisa provides counsel and develops strategy and communications plans for some of the world’s leading CEOs and their teams. She also sets the direction for strategic plans and creative concepts developed with Teneo team members.

Lisa is also co-chair of Teneo’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) advisory. The group’s work encompasses a range of DE&I matters across all characteristics of diversity, from advising on boardroom diversity, DE&I disclosure and public policy to defining actionable steps and measurable goals that align with business priorities and enhance company performance.

Prior to Teneo, her most recent role was Senior Counselor at The Walker Marchant Group (WMG) – a media strategy, public affairs and issues management firm. Immediately prior to joining WMG, Lisa served as Corporate Vice President, Communications for Northrop Grumman Corporation. An elected officer and member of Northrop Grumman’s global executive team, Lisa reported directly to the CEO and was also responsible for the company’s worldwide communications strategy and execution, including brand and reputation, advocacy communications, issues management, media relations, digital/social media, executive and employee communications, advertising and philanthropic public relations.

Prior to her promotion, Lisa was vice president, communications, for Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems sector. Previously, she was vice president, communications, for the former Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems sector. Lisa was promoted three times within two years, reaching the company’s top communications role.

Before joining Northrop Grumman, Lisa worked for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, a global research-based biopharmaceutical company, first as vice president, corporate communications, for their U.S. business, and later as vice president, corporate affairs, for Medimmune, AstraZeneca’s global biologics arm. From 1996-2005, she worked for AARP as director, communications and public relations, director, media relations and senior advisor to the chief communications officer.

Lisa has served as press secretary for the Democratic Leadership Council and its think-tank, the Progressive Policy Institute; national deputy press secretary for the 1996 Clinton/Gore re-election campaign and was appointed a Fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics.

She earned master’s degrees in business administration and public administration from Howard University in Washington, D.C.  Lisa earned a bachelor’s degree in communications studies with a minor in business from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.

Lisa is a 2018 Inductee into the NC Media and Journalism Hall of Fame; and a 2018 Woman of Power Awardee, Woman Leadership Magazine USA and MEA Magazine. She has served as a Board Member, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic; an Insight Committee member, George Mason University School of Communications; an Advisory Board member, Healthcare Businesswoman’s Association Mid-Atlantic Region and Trustee of the National Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Lisa is currently a member of the Executive Leadership Council.

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