Founder & OWNER

Dr. Lisa Williams is the CEO and Founder of Magnolia StoryMatters. She is a board member of National Storytelling Network (NSN), the Chair of Storytelling In Organizations (SIO), a special interest group of NSN, and serves on the finance and conference committees.  Lisa performs traditional and adaptations of folktales, her own modern tales, and a riff on well-known classics at schools, museums, summer camps, and community events. She entwines history with lived experiences, and believes that humor is essential to staying grounded. Her commitment to build community has led her to work with MIGEN Michigan LBGTQ+ Elder Network in which she has helped members of this community find, shape, and present their stories.  In 2023, she earned the Wilmington Black Storytelling Residency fellowship, where she wrote a folktale and performed at the Urban Artist Exchange Amphitheatre. In 2023, she was the host for the Detroit Association of Black Storytellers Black History Program which was held at the Charles Wright Museum in Detroit, Michigan.

She attended Wayne State University where she earned a Ph.D. in Learning Design and Technology with an emphasis in Performance Improvement and an Educational Specialist Certificate. She has used this academic training to serve as a Professional Development Specialist and Consultant for non-profits. After earning a Masters of Arts of Teaching Mathematics from University of Detroit Mercy and becoming certified in secondary mathematics, she taught for over a decade in the public school system.  

Lisa is a lifelong learner who is always curious and open to new experiences. She enjoys traveling, reading, crafting a story, hiking, and spending time with her family.