Lisa studied archaeology in UCD for her primary degree and completed her Master's degree in Environmental Resource Management in 1992. As part of this degree Lisa completed a thesis titled 'Industrial Archaeology an Under-utilized Resource'.

After graduating Lisa worked on an assortment of environmental projects and issues for an Environmental Consultancy. She joined Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd. in 1997 assisting in the preparation of archaeological impact assessment and surveys.

In the past ten years Lisa has managed the company's involvement with a large number of pre-development projects including the production of constraints studies, routing selection studies and environmental impact statements for road, pipeline and building developments.

Lisa is a Member of the Institute of Archaeologist of Ireland since 1996 and in 2008 Lisa completed a Diploma in Business Management (IBEC NCE) form Dublin Institute of Technology. She has also undertaken research projects for the Heritage Council and the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DoEHLG) and prepared a guidance document for the National Roads Authority (NRA) in relation to the assessment of archaeological heritage impacts of National Road Schemes and best practice. Lisa produced two Historic Landscape Characterisation reports for the Fingal area.