Lisa Z. Fain

Lisa Fain is Center for Mentoring Excellence’s CEO, and an expert in the intersection of cultural competency and mentoring. Her passion for diversity and inclusion work fuels her strong conviction that leveraging differences creates a better workplace and drives better business results.

Lisa brings her energy, enthusiasm, and engagement to any group, facilitating lively workshops and training and delivering interactive speeches with practical steps that can be implemented right away.

For almost a decade, Lisa practiced law in the Chicago office of a major multinational law firm, where she counseled employers on creating inclusive policies and practices. While in that role, she served as a Master Trainer who directed thousands of employees at companies large and small on creating better workplaces.

Lisa is a certified mediator, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Social Policy from Northwestern University, and holds a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law. Lisa lives in Seattle, where she loves to hike and explore the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two daughters. Lisa’s writing credits include Bridging Difference for Better Mentoring: Lean Forward, Learn, Leverage and the forthcoming The Mentor’s Guide, 3rd Edition (with co-author Lois J. Zachary).