After 10 years in the corporate world, Lisa Garcia Jacobson founded Workplace Solutions in 1998 as a solution to her own HR issue: the need for balance and flexibility in her professional and family lives. A true entrepreneur at heart, Lisa transitioned from a burgeoning corporate career at Verizon (GTE) to launching Workplace Solutions, a Tampa, Florida-based human resources consulting firm offering HR consulting and career advice to a variety of clients ranging from Bell South International Wireless Services to Coca-Cola Enterprises.
An Exceptional Level of Expertise
- Holds the highest level of certification from the Society of Human Resource Professionals (SPHR)
- Certified Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator (MBTI) Practitioner
- Adjunct Instructor at Hillsborough Community College where she teaches the SPHR certification class to HR professionals preparing for the national exam and HR training programs
- Member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP) serving as a vocational counselor and career coach for the Collaborative Divorce Lawyers of Tampa Bay
- Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania under the of the founder of the positive psychology movement, Martin P. E. Seligman
- Completed the PENN Resilience Facilitator Training Program at the Penn Positive Psychology Center and qualified to facilitate Penn Resiliency Programs offering depression prevention and well-being programs to schools and organizations
- University of Pennsylvania Secondary School Selection Committee Alumni Interviewer and representative for the Tampa Bay Area
- University of Pennsylvania Alumni Interviewer for the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program
- Frequent speaker on career matters, human resources, positive psychology and strengths-based management practices in the workplace
Recent Presentations
- Hillsborough Community College – “Professionalism in the Workplace”
- Career Transition Group of South Tampa – “Interviewing Skills”
- HR Tampa Employment Lab – “Resiliency in Job Searching”
- Workforce Tampa Alliance – “Cultivating Resilience”
- Guest Consultant on CBS News Affiliate "10 Connects News Hour"
- December 2008 - “How to Find a Job”
- February 2009 - “Facebook & Employment”
- March 2009 - “What to Do When Laid-off”
On the Personal Side
In addition to being a nationally respected HR consultant, career consultant and speaker, Lisa is avid reader, gardener, and “comfort food” cook. She has been happily married to Richard A. Jacobson, for 24 years. Richard is a foreign tax lawyer and partner at the law firm of Fowler White Boggs P.A. They are also the proud parents of Rick Jacobson, a senior at Vanderbilt University, currently making his way towards his goal to be a medical doctor. Lisa, Richard and their irrepressible Dachshund, Rufus, reside in Tampa, Florida.
Paying it Forward
Lisa believes in giving back to the community, especially people in need of employment services. She dedicates several hours each week to community organizations and people who could not otherwise afford her career advising and employment services. Reduced and flexible payment plans are extended to (temporarily!) unemployed clients. She also offers Gift Certificates and Career Consulting “Scholarships” for the unemployed.