Lisa Y. Benjamin is a partner at Lexicon Strategies. Renowned for her expertise in public-private partnerships, major government projects, commercial real estate, and infrastructure development, Lisa brings a wealth of experience and a strategic vision to Lexicon Strategies, driving transformative impact for businesses, organizations, and governments.
Lisa previously served as the Chief Operating Officer for the City of Atlanta, appointed by Mayor Andre Dickens. In this role, she led a staff of 8,500 and oversaw city operations including public safety, emergency management, infrastructure, information technology innovation, and the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International. Under her leadership, the City of Atlanta managed over $11 billion in funds and maintained robust financial health with reserves exceeding $200 million. Lisa's stewardship contributed to the city's Aa1 and AA+ bond ratings from Moody's and Fitch and garnered numerous accolades, including Money Magazine naming Atlanta the Best Place to Live.
Before her tenure with the City of Atlanta, Lisa was the President and CEO of Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, where she led one of the nation’s highest-producing and most impactful affiliates. During her five-year leadership, the organization served over 1,000 families, managed a $74 million balance sheet, and raised over $40 million to support homeownership. Her efforts earned Atlanta Habitat recognition as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Best Charity in Metro Atlanta and a Best Place to Work by the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Lisa’s career is marked by her strategic leadership and ability to navigate complex financial transactions and public-private partnerships. She has extensive experience with internal audit committees and external auditors and has been a pivotal figure in national policy advisory roles. She serves as a Global Governing Trustee Board member and on the Americas Executive Committee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), where she was the first person of color to Chair the ULI Atlanta Board. Additionally, she is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) and serves on its Board of Directors as Secretary.
Recognized for her exceptional leadership, Lisa has received numerous accolades including Syracuse University’s Orange Circle Award for distinguished service, Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Power 100 - Most Influential Atlantans, and Bisnow’s Top 40 most influential women in commercial real estate. She has also been named one of Atlanta Magazine’s Top 500 Leaders and the 100 Most Influential Women in Georgia Engineering.
Lisa is a licensed CPA in the state of Florida and holds a graduate degree from The Maxwell School at Syracuse University, is a Georgetown University alum, and earned her second master’s degree in Accounting from Nova Southeastern University. An avid golfer, she resides in Atlanta, Georgia, where she enjoys spending time with her family.