Lisa Ward

Bio

Lisa Ward is a health policy professional with 28 years of experience in bedside emergency care and state politics. She has a deep understanding of local, state and federal health policy from the perspective of both a clinician and a state capitol insider.

Education

Lisa earned her B.S. in Criminology from Metro State College and her M.S. in Healthcare Management with a Health Policy concentration from the University of Denver’s College of Professional Studies.

Professional Background 

Lisa is currently a lobbyist and government affairs consultant at Frontline Public Affairs, a lobby firm, where she represents the interests of multiple health and social service clients in the Colorado legislature. She also works as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in the Emergency Department at Denver Health Hospital, providing clinical care to traumatically injured and acutely ill medical patients.

Lisa has worked in local, state and federal government. She helped create and operationalize the nation’s first successful community paramedic program, allowing paramedics in rural areas to provide specialized in-home care in addition to emergent medical care. She is currently serving a five-year appointment to the state-wide Emergency Medical Services Taskforce at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). In 2019, Lisa was the chief of staff and legislative aide to the highest-ranking senator in healthcare in the Colorado legislature. She was also the lobbyist for Denver Health Hospital during the pandemic while simultaneously caring for COVID patients in the Emergency Department.

Motivation for Teaching

Lisa has a passion for making politics interesting and breaking down barriers to understanding and accessing the democratic process. Lisa’s frontline access to both the clinical environment and the legislature give her a unique approach to real-world health policy.

Helping Students Be Successful 

Lisa teaches her students that accessing the democratic process, talking to elected officials, citizen advocacy, and the political process can be easily navigated with a basic understanding of the political process and regulatory environment. She loves to engage students in issues that interest them and challenge students with different perspectives. Lisa is available to her students via email and virtual office hours to answer any questions and offer insight into the world of politics and health policy.