Lisa Zilba ’89 is an educator in a local public high school. She is one of seven children, the youngest of three girls in her family, a mother of three, and a parishioner at St. Joseph Sylvania. Lisa remembers her parents encouraging her to attend SUA. She said that, along with the Catholic education, her parents preferred the single-gender population because they felt it would allow her to focus on her academics without distraction. Lisa says her days at SUA taught her how to study and understand the importance of education. She also learned to discipline herself to take school seriously and put her best foot forward through all her future endeavors. 

Lisa never imagined that she would become a teacher. After graduating from college, she worked at a small television station and two small radio stations that nurtured her love for the broadcasting industry. Her good friend and SUA classmate, Linda (Guntsch) Glover ’89, told her about an opportunity to be an Adult Education class instructor. From that point, she began a 21-year career in education. Her passion for Broadcast Communication has led to her being featured on local and regional television programs. She is also the instructor behind Toledo's only jazz radio station, Jazz WXTS 88.3 FM, run by her students. She is credited for providing the educational foundation for her former students who have moved on to pursue careers in radio, film, and television. 

Professionally and personally, Lisa realizes the value of education and the way education involves more than just the curriculum—it involves the well-being of the whole child.