Andrea Lisher
Say yes and figure out the rest later
Andrea Lisher is a lot of things, a mother, wife, business leader, community volunteer, mentor, advocate, and friend, to name a few. Regardless of what hat she is wearing, Andrea takes pride in showing up 100% - when she commits to something, she is all in.
It was that “all in” perspective on commitment that led Andrea to devise a life plan when she was just a teenager. According to her plan, Andrea prepared to focus tirelessly and exclusively on accelerating her career in her twenties and then, in her thirties, would shift to focusing solely on starting and raising a family. Excelling as both a professional in finance and a parent was not something she imagined possible.
Today, as a mother of two daughters and in her twenty-fifth year at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Andrea advises others to resist anticipating how life will unfold and making rigid plans, and instead focusing on keeping an open mind, saying yes and figuring out the rest later.
Andrea credits her tight knit family, in addition to her supportive husband (whom she met in the J.P. Morgan training program), and her “kitchen table” of girlfriends for keeping her both grounded and sane through the ups and downs of her career. Most notably, she acknowledges her boss, who would not let her quit on her career after her first child was born (and again after her second), demonstrating empathy and flexibility which helped her see a path forward that once seemed impossible.
Artisans from the Diseños Xe Kuku Abaj cooperative during a workshop.
Now, Andrea is the Managing Director, Head of Americas, Client for J.P. Morgan Asset Management. In that role, Andrea oversees the businesses which serve both financial intermediaries and institutions in North America and Latin America. Collectively, these businesses are responsible for over $1.4 trillion in assets under management for over 100,000 clients. She is also a member of the Operating Committee for J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management.
With this role comes pressure to perform, another privilege that Andrea does not take lightly. She constantly reminds her team of the importance of the work in managing other peoples’ money - letting them know that they can shape and change lives by doing their jobs exceptionally well.
Through her work - coupled with her desire to give back - Andrea has become a role model in business and her community. Her gratitude for the support and opportunities she has been given drives her to go above and beyond to help others feel supported in the same way she was.
Ensuring that J.P. Morgan Asset Management has the right talent and culture is both part of her job description and her passion. Whether it is hosting female colleagues at her home and inviting them to “see her mess”, creating sponsorship programs for female and diverse colleagues, or being an Executive Sponsor for J.P. Morgan Asset & Wealth Management “Women on the Move,” Andrea is focused on driving a winning culture. She knows that this work is important on a personal level, but it also helps to improve the businesses’ bottom line.
“As an active asset manager our competitive edge is having better insights. It’s common sense that the more diverse perspectives you have at the table, the higher the odds are of having better insights and making better decisions.”
Andrea Lisher
Outside of work, Andrea actively engages young women in the community, regularly speaking to college and high school students about her career path, with an eye on empowering the next generation of female leaders to think big.
In recognition of her commitment to empowering women in the workplace and outside of it, Andrea was selected to be an Honoree at Mercado Global’s 20th anniversary Gala. The annual event will take place on March 7th in New York City in celebration of International Women’s Day and will support the organization's work to empower Indigenous women in Latin America to transform their lives through entrepreneurship.
Andrea sees her work with Mercado Global as another opportunity to pay it forward. She is inspired by the work the organization is doing and the women they work with, crediting Mercado Global for providing women with an opportunity to create their own destiny.
“We are so incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to honor Andrea at our International Women’s Day Gala. She is someone who really understands the power of helping others - we are humbled to have the chance to celebrate that.”
Ruth Álvarez-DeGolia, Mercado Global Founder
The Women Of Xejuyu II cooperative with the first fabric they produced
A lot has changed since Andrea first entered the workforce and although progress has been made, she recognizes there is still work to be done.
Andrea’s message to women, or really anyone who is struggling with what's next, is the same one that she tells her two daughters: you are capable of so much more than you think. Andrea knows that firsthand - and each day she is helping others find that out about themselves as well.
