Lisa Boudreau is a lived experience and professional policy advocate. She has 18 years of experience working on child welfare and maternal-child health policy. She believes that policymakers must build greater support for proximate leaders who can create policy solutions that are both sustainable and transformative, and that we can be more intentional about fully tapping human potential by putting our most marginalized people in positions of power and leadership with decision-making authority, leading to a more just and equitable world for all children.
Since 2001, Lisa has been focused on raising the awareness of federal policymakers about the needs and unique perspectives of children and youth in foster care, and of families facing the barriers and institutions that put their children at risk of entering foster care.
Lisa is currently an appointed, volunteer policy advisory council member for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports Congress’ Adoption Caucus with the information and resources needed to hear direct experiences of those affected by child welfare policy, become engaged in this issue, and work to bring about legislative improvements for children and families.
Lisa is also the director of Advocacy and Strategic Messaging at Parents as Teachers National Center, where she advocates for state and federal policy that addresses a wide range of maternal-infant and parenting support services that address key social determinants of health and promote family and community strengthening. One of her main roles is to train and support lay advocates to participate in policymaking.
