Dr. Lisle Smart serves as the Director of School Opportunity at the National Education Opportunity Network (NEON), where she leads strategic partnerships with school systems nationwide to expand access to college credit-bearing courses for students in historically underserved communities.
Before joining NEON, Lisle held influential leadership roles that shaped her approach to student success and partnership strategy. At EMERGE-HISD, she built the underclassman program model, supported the design of a student-centered college research curriculum, and guided hundreds of first-generation and low-income students toward admission to top colleges and universities. She later advanced into nonprofit operations, strengthening her expertise in fiscal management, project leadership, and procurement.
A lifelong learner, Lisle earned her Doctorate in K–12 Educational Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Education in Teacher Leadership from the University of St. Thomas, and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, exploring new restaurants, and serving her community through her sorority.