Lisa Hamler-Fugitt is the Executive Director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, a private, not-for-profit organization. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks is Ohio’s largest charitable food assistance network and is comprised of 12 Feeding America Foodbanks who distributed over 229 million pounds of food and grocery items last year, to over 3,600 member agencies including food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and other charitable food assistance organizations. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks is the home of the Ohio Benefit Bank, one of largest application assistance program in the nation.

She has researched, written, and secured over $425 million in grants from local, state and national government sources, private foundations and religious denominations that have been used to support various social welfare initiatives and anti-hunger programs. As an organizer, she has worked to mobilize individuals and organizations around statewide campaigns and regional grassroots coalitions. As a trainer, she has worked with thousands of professionals, volunteers and community-based organizations on public policy issues and advocacy, presented at numerous conferences and workshops, and authored more than a dozen publications to assist advocates.

Lisa serves on the executive steering committee of Advocates for Ohio’s Future and as co-chair of Ohio Smart Agriculture: Solutions from the Land. She is affiliated with numerous state and federal organizations working towards the elimination of hunger, poverty, sustainable food systems and agricultural economy. She also served on at Feeding America’s Policy Engagement and Advocacy Committee (PEAC), as the Governor’s Appointee on the Ohio Food Policy Council and as a consumer representative on the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board.

Lisa was named the ‘2015 Dick Goebel Public Service Award’ recipient by Feeding America and received the ’Child Advocate of the Year’ by The Public Children’s Services Association of Ohio in 2009.

Her Associate Degree in Accounting from the South Oklahoma Junior College supplements thirty plus years of experience as a professional and people’s advocate. Her dedication to the people for whom she advocates finds her often testifying before state assemblies and committees, as well as working to empower them through education and advocacy training.