Lisa Mitchell-Bennett

Born in Mexico City, Lisa’s background in journalism and community organizing led her to the Rio Grande Valley to work with Central American refugees. With advanced degrees in public health and international development, she has also managed job training and adult education programs for the Philadelphia Empowerment Zone, returning Texas where she co-founded a binational Community Health Worker project and managed school-based health centers. For two decades she has led community engagement research efforts at the University of Texas Houston School of Public Health in Brownsville. She manages programs and partnerships to address health disparities and deliver evidence based strategies to prevent and control chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, obesity and depression/anxiety. One successful initiative, Tu Salud !Si Cuenta! works with 8 municipalities and county precincts in the region to implement community health worker led behavior and environmental change initiatives. She also co-facilitates a 22-year running Collaborative Action Board (CAB) dedicated to promoting health equity in the Rio Grande Valley region.

Mitchell-Bennett has served as the President of the Board of the Brownsville Wellness Coalition and also serves on the board of Friendship of Women and Valley Baptist Medical Center. Mitchell-Bennett loves her beautiful border community of Brownsville where she and her husband have raised their 3 children.