We are excited to introduce Lisa Zaspel as the newest member of the Lifeworks executive team! With a robust background in managing fiscal support programs, Zaspel stepped into the role of vice president of services on March 21.
In this newly created position, Zaspel has primary responsibility for overseeing all of the Lifeworks fiscal support programs, including Consumer Directed Community Supports (CDCS), Consumer Support Grant (CSG), PCA Choice, and Personal Support. She joins Kim Mueller (employment services) and Mary Lenertz (day services) as the third executive program leader at Lifeworks.
“We’ve been providing fiscal support to hundreds of families since we became one of the first licensed fiscal support entities in 2000,” said Lifeworks President and CEO Judy Lysne. “Lisa’s leadership will allow us to help even more families self-direct their services.”
Zaspel comes to Lifeworks after more than eight years as director of residential living services at Fraser, Minnesota’s largest provider of autism services. And her experience working with individuals with disabilities extends far beyond that.
As a child, Zaspel grew up with a family member with disabilities. In high school and college, she worked as a direct service professional. Throughout her career, she has worked for various human services providers in the Twin Cities metro and at the county level in the human services department.
“When I worked at Ramsey County, Lifeworks was one of my first partners as a fiscal intermediary,” Zaspel said. “The amount of work that Lifeworks was willing to do to partner and help spoke volumes and it made rolling out that new program a lot easier.”
Today, 16 years after first working with Lifeworks to launch fiscal support programs so that families can self-direct their services, Zaspel becomes the leader who will expand these programs to more families in Minnesota.
“I am passionate about family,” Zaspel said. “What I’m hoping to do is be able to offer consumer-directed services to more people, look at how we’re delivering it, improving customer service, and the outcome for the family.”
Throughout the past month, Zaspel has been introduced at various Lifeworks community and employment sites. If you haven’t had a chance to connect with her, you can get in touch at lzaspel@lifeworks.org or call Lifeworks at 651-454-2732.