Lifting Others Up – Krenz Serves on HSS Board
Growing up out west, Lisa Krenz was a camp counselor for two summers in Georgetown, Colo.
Time spent at that Easter Seals camp for kids and adults with disabilities had a huge impact on her life.
“It was the 1980s, and things were a little different in our country then,” Lisa explained. “I learned more in those two summers than you can imagine.”
The camp experience led Lisa to pursue a career in special education. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Concordia University in Chicago and a master’s in special education from Webster University in St. Louis.
For years, Lisa taught special education in both private Lutheran schools and public school settings.
Once her time in the classroom was over, she taught other aspiring teachers at Kaskaskia College in Centralia, Ill., and Greenville University in Greenville, Ill.
She has been working as an editor for curriculum resources at Concordia Publishing House in St. Louis since 2016.
“Throughout my adult life, I’ve tried to lift others up and be encouraging so that we might all be the best we can be,” Lisa says.
Lisa’s outlook on life perfectly aligns with the mission of Human Support Services – helping all people live their best lives.
When Lisa moved to Columbia, Ill., with her husband, Pastor Stephen Krenz, it didn’t take long for members of their congregation and the community at large to get a sense of Lisa’s boundless optimism and love for others.
Fellow HSS Board Member Gary Crawford was the first to recognize that Lisa was a perfect fit with HSS.
For the past year, Lisa has been sharing her extensive expertise and radiant demeanor with staff and clients of HSS by serving on the Board of Directors. She brings meaningful experiences and a unique perspective.
Lisa describes herself as “a teacher, a friend, a parent, and a daughter.”
She brings a bit of each of those personas to her role as board member and community volunteer.
Though Lisa has been an official Monroe County resident for a mere five years, she is already an engaged member of the community.
Lisa is an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Columbia where her husband, Stephen, serves as pastor. They have a son, Joel, a daughter, Anna, and a son-in-law, Ryan.
While her children were in school, Lisa was an active parent volunteer for Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Hoffman, Ill., and Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School in Centralia, Ill. She also volunteered at the Murray Developmental Center in Centralia, Ill.
Through HSS, Lisa has found an organization in this new chapter of her life to pour her heart into.
Lisa says, “In my work I’m always thinking about how we can make God’s Word and His love accessible for all people.”
Interested in getting more involved at HSS? Contact Courtney Hunter at chunter@hss1.org.