Lisa Byrd

Founder of Creative Cultural Strategies LLC.

With training in community organizing by Marshall Ganz and his “Leading Change “ methodology, Ms. Byrd has a long history of leadership in the Austin arts, culture, and preservation communities. She brings a community organizing methodology to her work whether in facilitating community meetings, building consensus, or enlisting stakeholder participation. Ms. Byrd owes the success of developing Six Square Austin’s Black Cultural District to educating community leaders about issues of cultural preservation, cultural sustainability, and cultural place keeping.

In her leadership role, Ms. Byrd has facilitated community conversations soliciting input and feedback around the creation of Six Square Austin’s Black Cultural District, the historic destination and renovations of Downs Field, and the broader infrastructure supporting artistic production throughout Austin. Ms. Byrd has organized a diverse community of leaders in support of preservation efforts within Austin’s African American community and has spoken to large numbers of stakeholder groups, including neighborhood associations, City of Austin Boards and Commissions, and conducted workshops for SXSW and other stakeholders about cultural place-keeping.

Ms. Byrd was recognized for her educational work with an SXSW Interactive Dewey Wilburne Community Service Award for the development of the innovative interactive map of historic central east Austin. The map was developed in collaboration with students from Keeling Middle School. Ms. Byrd is currently utilizing the Leading Change methodology along with her technical knowledge of developing cultural districts to assist others in educating their communities about the role the arts can play in cultural preservation and cultural sustainability efforts.