Discussing passion and empowerment with a member of ASU Women and Philanthropy

Lisa VanBockern discusses her journey to reinvention and the intersection of women’s empowerment and philanthropy.

This interview is part of an ongoing series in which ASU faculty, staff, alumni and supporters explore the impact of philanthropy in their lives and on their programs, colleagues and students.

Lisa VanBockern shares that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and find your passion. From working as a secretary to programming accounting databases, VanBockern has led many lives. She now owns a successful skincare company and is a member of ASU Women and Philanthropy, where she gives back to her alma mater.

How did you discover ASU Women and Philanthropy?

When my mother got older and lived in an assisted living home, she wanted to help the caretakers go to school. So, when she passed, we took a portion of the inheritance and put it into a scholarship at Arizona State University in her name.

As time went by, I wanted to up my contribution. That was when I contacted the ASU Foundation and met Chelsie Bruggeman. She helped me with my mother's scholarship. Then she said, "Hey, do you want to go to ASU Women and Philanthropy?" and I said yes.

There are a couple of reasons why I wanted to join after my first introductory meeting for ASU Women and Philanthropy. One is that I met ASU President Michael M. Crow. He was so accessible and down to earth. I think since President Crow took over ASU, he's done such a good job at outreach to the community and alumni. He’s got real talent, and I think that’s what makes ASU so successful. Then his wife Sybil Francis is the ASU Women and Philanthropy co-chair. They are quite the power couple.

How do you see women's empowerment and philanthropy connecting?

A couple of years ago, ASU Women and Philanthropy hosted a book review on “The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World” by Melinda Gates. In the book, she says you can't just go into countries with a billionaire from America, dump money on them and say, "Oh, we’re going to solve the problems." It’s about putting women in countries with an issue together, and they actually empower themselves and find answers themselves. It doesn't require a billion dollars. ?

Maybe philanthropy is just facilitating a process of helping people come to their own decisions on how they're going to take care of issues in their life.

How does it feel to give back to your alma mater?

It feels good. I just love the way that ASU is embedded into the community. When you give, it feels good because you're not just giving to the university, you're giving to these professors doing research, and they're actually out in the city doing research and helping with community issues.?You’re not just putting it into an anonymous place. You decide when you give back where your money goes within the schools.

How have you reinvented yourself?

Well, technically, I reinvented myself three times. Eventually, you find something you love, and it's setting goals. It's taking baby steps. Even for me because I wasn’t a traditional student. I went back to college at the age of 30. I remember I was working in a law firm as a secretary back then, and I couldn't do it anymore. I picked up the yellow pages, back when you still had yellow pages, and I looked up ASU admissions. That was a baby step to look it up in the phone book.

I called them, they sent me an application, financial aid and the next thing you know, I'm going to school. It was that baby step of just choosing to look up the phone number.

I was the person that sat in the front row of every class. I absolutely loved it and absorbed everything I could. Once I got my degree, I went to work for Ernst & Young consulting, programming accounting databases. But again, I found myself sitting in a cubicle on a computer and it wasn't fulfilling.

So, at age 40, I got into the aesthetics world, became an aesthetician and found my passion.

What advice would you give to women?

Keep looking for your passion. Don’t give up until you find it. I see people sitting in a job going, "I get paid really well, but I don't like it, and I'm miserable." Quit your job. Something else will come along.

Once you find your passion, set goals. Every day I wrote baby steps on a to-do sheet that would get me to my goals. It could be something little like making one phone call. It was never overwhelming. Then before you know it, you've gained so much momentum, you're knee-deep in your goals, and you accomplish them.

Third, be true to yourself. Be true to your heart and listen to what your heart tells you to do. Because so often, especially in the business world, you can say, “Well, this is how this man is behaving and acting,” and as a woman, you think you must act like that man. If you’re true to yourself, you will be much more comfortable in your skin.?

And the last thing would be, enjoy the journey. Don't get stressed out about “I've got to be at this point in sales, be this title or level and do it all in five years." Just enjoy the journey. Pace yourself. Take time and smell the roses along the way.?

Lisa VanBockern is a ‘98 graduate of the W. P. Carey School of Business and founder of Skin Script, a professional product line specializing in clinical-grade skincare products. VanBockern has been a member of ASU Women and Philanthropy since 2015 and serves on the 2022-2023 grant review committee. VanBockern has been a Trustee of Arizona State University since 2021. In February 2023, VanBockern joined the Dean's Council for the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions. She is also an 8-year member of the Sun Devil 100 club, honoring the top 100 alumni business entrepreneurs.?