About Lisa Marsh Ryerson

Lisa Marsh Ryerson currently serves as president of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). As SNHU’s sixth president, Lisa’s connection to the university and love for its mission spans more than two decades and includes six years of service on the SNHU Board of Trustees and two years serving as Provost.

As president of the largest nonprofit provider of higher education in the United States, Lisa is focused on serving SNHU’s more than 200,000 learners across the globe and advocating for the more than 40 million Americans with some credit but no degree or credential. Rooted in radical collaboration and disciplined decision making, Lisa’s leadership style empowers others and is driven by evidence and data. A champion of SNHU’s “students first” culture, Lisa believes learner-centered design is key to the equitable attainment of a degree — that for many — can change the trajectory of their lives. As a first- generation college graduate herself, Lisa understands the impact a degree can have on a person, family, and community.

Under Lisa’s leadership as Provost, SNHU improved the student experience by bringing teams together from across the university to align data and priorities. The Provost’s Office unites campus and online academic programs into one team committed to the student academic experience. As Provost, Lisa was responsible for SNHU’s offerings and the strategic direction of the overall student experience. With a mission to transform lives by making higher education more accessible, SNHU offers 200+ programs, from certificates to doctoral-level degrees, including business, education, liberal arts, social sciences and STEM.

A trusted leader in the nonprofit space and champion for improving quality of life, Lisa served as president of the AARP Foundation, the charitable affiliate of the AARP, for nearly nine years before joining SNHU. In this role, she spearheaded innovative partnerships with other organizations to create and advance effective solutions that help vulnerable older adults increase their economic opportunity and social connectedness. During the last three-year plan under her leadership, the Foundation generated over $5 billion in income for older adults.

A lifelong learner and educator, Lisa’s love for higher education began at her alma mater, Wells College in Aurora, New York, where she held numerous positions throughout a 28-year span of her career, eventually going on to serve as university president and CEO for 18 years. Under Lisa’s leadership, Wells increased enrollment by 45%, launched an endowed Center for Business and Entrepreneurship, and revitalized the economy of the surrounding community.

Lisa has also served on boards of higher education and nonprofit organizations, including the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the Congressional Hunger Center. She now serves on the boards of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, the National Women’s History Museum, and The Generosity Commission.

Lisa earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Wells College and a Master of Science in Education/Literacy from the State University of New York Cortland, where she was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. She was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Southern New Hampshire University, an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the State University of New York at Albany for having “met and exceeded each of John Quincy Adams’ standards for leadership,” and an Honorary Doctor of Social Services from Dickinson College.

Lisa lives in Manchester, NH, with her husband George. Together they share a blended family with four children and two grandchildren.