M. Lisa Scinto was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Packaging Engineering. She began her career as a design engineer at Rockwell International, the lead manufacturer for the Space Shuttle Program, where she became the first African American woman engineer hired in her division.

Motivated by a deep commitment to education and equity, she later transitioned to teaching high school chemistry and physics. After earning graduate degrees in Educational Leadership, she served as a high school principal for nearly two decades. Lisa’s writing is rooted in stories handed down from family members born over a century ago—voices shaped by the legacies of slavery, Jim Crow-era terror, and the Great Migration. Having experienced integration firsthand in both school and the workplace, she has dedicated her life to documenting, teaching, and broadening understanding across cultural divides.

Her work has appeared in local newspapers, and in 2024 she won a National Public Radio (NPR) essay contest for her piece, “The Quality of Education in America Is Often Determined by Your Zip Code.” She presented her essay live on air, and later addressed the Arizona State Legislature to advocate for increased STEM education funding.

A respected community leader, Lisa currently holds two elected offices—precinct committeewoman and state committeeperson—and has served as an Arizona delegate to the Democratic National Presidential Convention. She also co-leads a multi-state online book club that focuses on politically and culturally-relevant literature.

Her work marries documented history, personal narrative, and educational purpose. “Sentenced to Death at Thirteen” is the first in a planned trilogy exploring the Black experience in America.