Biography and education
Lisa M. Baumgartner is a Professor of Adult Education at Texas State University, San Marcos. She received her doctorate in Adult Education from the University of Georgia in 2000. Her research and writing focus on adult learning and development in marginalized populations and transformative learning. She has taught courses in adult development, adult learning, critical and feminist theory, feminist pedagogy, teaching adults, methods of inquiry, and education for older adults.
A recipient of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation Cyril O. Houle Scholars Research Grant for Emerging Scholars in Adult Education, she completed a study on civil rights activist Septima P. Clark’s lifelong contributions to adult education. She received the Early Career Award from the Commission of Professors of Adult Education. She also received the Cyril O. Houle Award for Outstanding Literature in Adult Education for the co-authored text Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide (3rd & 4th eds). She was a co-editor of Adult Education Quarterly and serves on numerous editorial boards. In 2015, she was a co-recipient of the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals Campus-Based Research/Literature Award, Region IV-W, for her research concerning student affairs professionals’ experiences in learning assessment. In 2019, she received the Circle of 50 Award from the Learning, Leadership, and Organizational Development Program at the University of Georgia. Awardees are seen as having made an impact on the research and practice of adult education, learning, leadership, and organizational development. She was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame in 2024.
Her research and scholarship have appeared in Adult Education Quarterly, Learning, Culture, and Social Interaction, Gender, Work and Organization, Journal of Transformative Education, Qualitative Health Research, Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, Dialogues in Social Justice, The Qualitative Report, New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, Human Resource Development Review and Adult Learning.
A recipient of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation Cyril O. Houle Scholars Research Grant for Emerging Scholars in Adult Education, she completed a study on civil rights activist Septima P. Clark’s lifelong contributions to adult education. She received the Early Career Award from the Commission of Professors of Adult Education. She also received the Cyril O. Houle Award for Outstanding Literature in Adult Education for the co-authored text Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide (3rd & 4th eds). She was a co-editor of Adult Education Quarterly and serves on numerous editorial boards. In 2015, she was a co-recipient of the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals Campus-Based Research/Literature Award, Region IV-W, for her research concerning student affairs professionals’ experiences in learning assessment. In 2019, she received the Circle of 50 Award from the Learning, Leadership, and Organizational Development Program at the University of Georgia. Awardees are seen as having made an impact on the research and practice of adult education, learning, leadership, and organizational development. She was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame in 2024.
Her research and scholarship have appeared in Adult Education Quarterly, Learning, Culture, and Social Interaction, Gender, Work and Organization, Journal of Transformative Education, Qualitative Health Research, Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research, Dialogues in Social Justice, The Qualitative Report, New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, Human Resource Development Review and Adult Learning.
Teaching Interests
Research Interests
Featured grants
- Baumgartner, Lisa Marie, Bruner, B., Nichols, K. N. Perceived role of parents and family members of first-generation college students on transition, persistence, and success., NASPA Parent and Family Relations Knowledge Community Research Grant, $250. (Funded: February 2018). Grant.
- Baumgartner, Lisa Marie, Bruner, B., Nichols, K. N. The influence of leadership education on first-generation college students’ transition into and through college., ACPA Commission on Student Involvement, $500. (Funded: January 2018). Grant.
- Baumgartner, Lisa Marie, Herlein, R., Patitu, C., Moran, J. Meeting Staff Orientation and Other Developmental Needs of a Human Services Training Organization., $1500. (Funded: 2003). Grant.
- Baumgartner, Lisa Marie (Principal). HIV/AIDS as a chronic illness: Continued issuesand concerns., Center for Development of Human Services Grant, Buffalo State College, $1500. (Funded: 2003). Grant.
- Baumgartner, Lisa Marie (Principal). HIV/AIDS as a chronic illness: Issues and concerns., Mini- grant received from Center for Development of Human Services., Institutional (Higher Ed), $1500. (Funded: 2002). Grant.
Featured scholarly/creative works
- Schmidt, S., Baumgartner, L. M., Misawa, M., & Santos, H. (2025). The representation of lesbian, gays, bisexuals, transgendered people in human resource development: An examination of literature 2010-2020. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 24(1), 93–122. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/10451595231205552
- Baumgartner, L. M., & Carr-Chellman, D. (2024). An update on adult learning theory. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
- Coryell, J., Baumgartner, L. M., & Bohonos, J. W. (Eds.). (2024). Methods of Facilitating Adult Learning: Strategies for Enhancing Instructional and Instructor Effectiveness. Routledge. Retrieved from https://doi-org.libproxy.txstate.edu/10.4324/9781003446019
- Baumgartner, L. M., Zarestky, J., & Lechuga, V. (2024). Women academics’ learning as a result of being bullied. Adult Learning, 35(1), 10–22. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/10451595221129658
- Baumgartner, L. M. (2023). Older Adults’ Development, Learning, and Education. In R. Tierney, F. Rizvi, & K. Ercikan (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education (4th ed) (pp. 503–511). Elsiever.
Featured awards
- Award / Honor Recipient: College Award for Scholarly/Creative Activity, Presidential Awards at Texas State. August 2025
- Award / Honor Recipient: International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame, International Hall of Fame. November 8, 2024
- Award / Honor Recipient: Cyril O. Houle Award for Outstanding Literature In Adult Education, American Association for Adult and Continuing Education. October 2021
- Award / Honor Recipient: Richard A Swanson Research Excellence Award (first runner up), Academy of Human Resource Development. October 2021
- Award / Honor Recipient: Circle of 50 Recognition., Learning, Leadership and Organizational Development Program at University of Georgia. March 2, 2019
Featured service activities
- Member
Outstanding Graduate Student Committee
- Member
Graduate College Scholarship Committee
- Reviewer / Referee
Innovative Higher Education
- Member
Graduate School Council
- Other
- Reviewer / Referee
Journal of Adult Literacy Education