Speakers
As the Associate Provost for Diversity and Recruitment at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Lisa Firmin led development of the first ever Presidential level diversity awards program for faculty, staff and students at UTSA. She has been instrumental in enhancing student veteran programming, educating faculty and staff on this nontraditional student and serves as co-chair of UTSAâs Veteran Student Advisory Committee. In 2013, she co-authored a book chapter titled âServing Student Veterans at the University of Texas at San Antonio: Accomplishments and Challenges,â in Building Bridges for Student Success: A Sourcebook for Colleges and Universities. Firmin was a key player in UTSA being honored by Minority Access Inc., in American Colleges and Universities Committed to Diversity. She co-chaired a Diverse Faculty Recruitment Task Force which resulted in enhancements in the overall recruitment of underrepresented faculty and helped establish a recruitment initiative that contributed to an increase in the quality of the incoming freshman class. She created the universityâs first top scholar program combining merit scholarships with student enrichment experiences.
Firmin retired from the Unites States Air Force as a Colonel and its most senior ranking Latina officer. She held key leadership and command positions and has extensive recruiting, retention and diversity management expertise at the highest levels of the Air Force and the Department of Defense. As a commander in a combat zone, she led efforts to build up Balad Air Base in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star medal. She led the UTSA Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program to national distinction as the Best Large Detachment in the Nation.
Firmin has been featured in local print, radio, television and national magazines and received many honors and accolades such as the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce National Latina Leader award, the Governor of Texasâ Yellow Rose award, the National Diversity Councilâs Trailblazer and Most Powerful and Influential Women in Texas awards, as well as the Northside Foundationâs Pillar of Character award. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Texas Diversity Council, a member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, a member of the Undergraduate Scholars Program Administrators Association and a member of Phi Kappa Phi.