Lisa Merrifield is the sustainable community specialist within University of Illinois Extension’s Community and Economic Development Team. Lisa helps Illinois communities become more sustainable and resilient. She works with University of Illinois faculty, Extension specialists, Extension Educators and community leaders to identify opportunities and approaches that help local governments and organizations address the challenges they face.

Prior to joining Illinois Extension, Lisa served as assistant director for the Illinois Water Resources Center and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and as the executive director of the Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable. Lisa has over 20 years of experience working to build sustainability in Illinois and around the Great Lakes. She has a Bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning, with a focus on natural resource planning.