Resilience Planning for Maryland Defense Communities

Biography

Ms. Lisa A. Swoboda, a native of Washington, DC, has over 20 years’ experience in the professional field of economic and business development. Joining the Office of Military & Federal Affairs in the winter of 2005, Ms. Swoboda served as Deputy Director and since 2017 serves as the Senior Director. Ms. Swoboda is a senior advisor and liaison to seven Maryland military alliances as well as several federal military and civilian facilities including Aberdeen Proving Ground and Joint Base Andrews where Ms. Swoboda serves as an Air Force Honorary Ambassador of the 316th Wing. Ms. Swoboda is a prominent leader in defense community engagement serving as an Association of Defense Communities Board Member and past Co-Chair of the States Advisory Council. Ms. Swoboda manages the strategic direction of federal civilian agency engagement and supervises a number of projects related to Department of Defense actions impacting Maryland’s socio and economic wellbeing, including a multi-million defense industry diversification federal grant program. Her office is the state office responsible for the planning and implementation of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisions in Maryland.

In partnering with the federal government communities, Ms. Swoboda works to advance business opportunities in support of the growing defense missions to include communications, electronics, autonomous systems, chemical-biological and cybersecurity. Ms. Swoboda led the development of the Maryland Defense Network, a nationally recognized online resource tool for Maryland’s defense industry, and the Maryland DefTech Center which won the Federal Laboratory Consortium 2020 national award for Best Economic Development program in tech transfer and commercialization.

In recognition of her executive leadership ability, in September 2022 Ms. Swoboda was awarded a World Trade Center Institute Bowe Fellowship for their Emerging and Developing Global Executives program. She is also a recipient of a U.S. Army Civilian Service Commendation Medal.

Prior to joining the Office of Military & Federal Affairs, Ms. Swoboda served as the lead on the Commercial Real Estate Site Consultant team for the Department’s Division of Business Development. During that time, she internationally represented Maryland by serving on the Board for the CoreNet Global Mid-Atlantic Chapter.

In addition to her work with the State, Ms. Swoboda previously worked for the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation. Also added to her resume is her intern work serving on Capitol Hill in the office of Congressman Steny H. Hoyer. She holds a B.A. degree in Political Science from the national honors college, St. Mary’s College of Maryland.