Faculty Profile for Dr. Lise E S Byars George

Biography Section

Biography and Education

My name is Lise (pronounced "Lee-Cee" like Lacey, but with an e instead of a sound) Byars George (yes I have two last names with no hyphen).

I grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona, specifically on the campus of Northern Arizona University where my folks both worked. Growing up, the environment and cultural diversity found in the American Southwest, along with the unique experience of living on a college campus, have had a profound impact on my life and have inspired my journey as a lifelong student and now teacher.

I attended Washington University in St. Louis. There I studied Anthropology, swam for Varsity Swimming & Diving (my events included the 400 IM, 100 and 200 breaststroke), and was a member of Pi Beta Phi. I stayed at Washington University to attend law school and earn my J.D. While in law school I clerked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois in the White Collar Crime Division and also worked at the law clinic at the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri in St. Louis.

I became a member of the Missouri Bar Association in April 2004 and I worked at a boutique law firm following graduation where my professional legal experience included immigration, employment discrimination, estate planning, licensing of biotechnology, and business incorporation.

In addition to law, I worked at Mavrik Jewelry as a manager and buyer for the boutique and online store. In addition to engaging with customers worldwide, I also engaged in content writing on the website of products.

I moved to Columbus, Ohio with my now-husband, where I worked as a community organizer for the AFL-CIO of Ohio and the Alliance for Retired Americans. I developed Community Advocacy Network program for Ohio aimed towards involving retired Americans in political activism, including creating relationships with senior-based organizations and living facilities. Developed and gave presentations on senior advocacy and community networking in the political arena. Maintained network of Ohio senior organizations, retired union workers and senior living facilities. I wrote a manual for implementing the CAN program and presented the manual and program to the Alliance for Retired Americans Board at national meeting.

I began pursuing my graduate studies in Anthropology at The Ohio State University. I received my M.A. in Anthropology in 2009 and completed PhD coursework in Cultural Anthropology in 2010. My research interests are concerned with women’s use of social support, transnationalism and migration, cultural change, ethnicity and identity, and law.

I have had the pleasure of teaching undergraduate courses for 13 years both in person and online. I have taught courses in cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, sociology and social science.