Lisa Witzig

Dr. Lisa Witzig serves as a Professor of Practice for the School of International Affairs and the Director of the Center for Security Research and Education. She brings a unique blend of experience in national security, business consulting, marketing, and higher education to Penn State. Dr. Witzig has held leadership positions within the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and served as a management consultant to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the National Counterterrorism Center. 

From 2013 to 2022, Dr. Witzig served on the business and marketing faculties for Colorado State University. She has run business units for boutique consulting firms and embraced the entrepreneurial spirit by launching her own company. 

A serial learner, Dr. Witzig is working on her Ed.D. from Vanderbilt University, which she expects to finish in December 2023. She completed her Ph.D. at Capella University and master’s degrees at the University of Missouri, the University of Maryland, and Georgetown University.