#SayherName Ms. Lisa Borders

October 13, 2022

Ms. Lisa Borders is the CEO of LMB Group LLC, host of the “Enlightened” podcast, former President of the WNBA, and so on.  Her CV is long and impressive. Ms. Borders has served in significant effective results-driven leadership roles in private, public, and nonprofit sectors, including for the city of Atlanta. In fact, Ms. Borders once ran for the office of mayor of Atlanta. Although her run was not successful, it is impressive that she ran! When asked to share her “failures” in an interviewed at Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, GA) on Thursday morning, October 13, 2022, Ms. Lisa Borders named that mayoral loss as one of them. She stated that failures are opportunities to learn and grow. But she does not wait for the failures for such lessons. When she has a win or achieves a goal, she reflects on what she could have done better and/or different. CTS (or Dr. Ann Clay Adams in the Academic Dean’s office who had gone to high school with Lisa Borders) invited Ms. Borders to discuss leadership, faith and resilience. How does Ms. Borders define or understand successful or effective leadership? Effective leadership requires “competence, confidence (not arrogance), and compassion.” Although Ms. Borders has served in various or different leadership roles, a constant has been her passion for empowering the disenfranchised, regardless of the business or position. For example, as president of the WNBA, she sought to empower women. When it comes to self-care, Ms. Borders admits that when she worked for the mayor of Atlanta, she slept with her phone next to her ear. But she has since learned to turn the phone off and to get 8-9 hours of sleep each night. She exercises by riding her Peloton bike and eats healthy. And she looks and feels great at 65 years.  Ms. Borders is an impressive and worthy role model. SayHerName! Listen to her podcast. By the way, Lisa Border’s father and grandfather were both Baptist ministers. Little known fact: her grandfather, Dr. William Holmes Borders wrote the poem I am Somebody, a phrase made famous by the Rev Dr. Jesse Jackson. Click here to Listen to a the poem. Dr. Holmes was pastor of the Wheat Street Baptist Church (where CTS professor, Dr. Ralph B. Watkins once served as pastor). #SayHerName Lisa Borders