Communications Specialist

Alisa Blackwood serves as the Institute’s press contact and oversees communications. She strives to share stories about the Institute’s mission in ways that educate, inform and inspire the community. Alisa’s favorite parts of her job are meeting Institute clients, learning about their lives and celebrating their successes. She approaches each interview from a trauma-informed lens, following the lead of the storyteller and writing stories that reflect how the Institute has impacted clients’ lives.

Alisa’s work at the Institute comes after years of journalism work for organizations such as The Associated Press, O, The Oprah Magazine and more. Her nonprofit experience began at mothers2mothers in Cape Town, South Africa, where she worked as a communications volunteer in 2006. She hopes her writing about the Institute’s clients, students and staff brings to life the stories behind the news headlines.