Lisa Sherman-Colt

Director of Operations and Administration

Ms. Sherman-Colt has dedicated the past three decades of her professional career to her three passions: arts education, youth, and social justice. Her work as an administrator and artist has earned her numerous distinguished accolades recognizing her leadership in education. She was flown to Washington D.C. to receive the National Crystal Apple Distinguished Educator Award. She is the recipient of numerous awards/ grants from community and educational organizations. These include: the Michael Jordan Foundation, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Surdna Arts Foundation, the CSULA Principal Residence Network, the American High School Theatre Festival, the California Arts Council, and the Confucius Institute.

As a distinguished administrator from the United States, Ms. Sherman-Colt earned a fellowship through the Chinese Bridge Delegation and travelled to China to tour schools and meet with Chinese educators and administrators. Ms. Sherman-Colt was a member of an educational /arts panel for National Public Radio and has been selected to speak at educational conferences throughout the country. In addition, as a professional dance educator she choreographed and directed numerous ballets that have premiered throughout the United States and abroad.

Presently, Mrs. Sherman-Colt serves as the Director of Operations and Administration at the Neighborhood Music School in Los Angeles. Previously, Ms. Sherman-Colt served as Chief Program Officer of the Cayton Children’s Museum, Executive Director of Oakland School for the Arts, Interim & Assistant Principal of Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and Artistic Director of Milwaukee High School for the Arts.

Through her tenure, she earned two graduate degrees: M.S. in Educational Leadership and a M.F.A. in Dance Performance / Choreography. In addition, she earned two bachelor’s degrees: B.S. Dance Education and B.S. Dance Performance/ Choreography.

Her commitment to community service can be seen by her continued devotion to promote education programming by meeting with various foundations and sitting on numerous non-for-profit arts education boards. These include: the Ballet Wisconsin Board, the Art Schools Network Board – conference committee, the Milwaukee Public Schools Board – ABC Coalition for K-12 Arts Education and the Milwaukee High school for the Arts Foundation.