Lisa R. Johnson

About Lisa R. Johnson

With 25+ years leading procurement, contracts, and vendor governance operations, I specialize in designing and scaling procurement architecture that balances operational velocity with durable internal controls.I joined First 5 Contra Costa at its inception and built the agency’s end-to-end procurement and vendor governance infrastructure from the ground up. Over two decades, I have led multimillion-dollar portfolios across regulated and multi-stakeholder environments, embedding structured intake, approval logic, contract lifecycle governance, and spend oversight frameworks that protect audit integrity while enabling execution.My work spans contract lifecycle management implementation across DocuSign CLM and Blackbaud, SaaS vendor portfolio oversight, renewal governance, capital project sourcing, and cross-functional alignment with Finance, Legal, Security, and executive leadership. I translate regulatory complexity into scalable operational systems that work under pressure.I am particularly interested in modern procurement architecture, spend visibility, and the evolving role of technology in operational design. I bring a practitioner’s perspective to system building, embedding controls that last while creating clarity across teams.I believe strong procurement is not just about compliance. It is about designing systems people trust and organizations can grow on.

Experience

1. Grants and Contracts Manager

   First 5 Contra Costa

   Aug 2000 — Present · Concord, CA, US

   Lead procurement and contracts operations for a regulated $14M+ annual portfolio, overseeing end-to-end vendor governance, contract lifecycle management, and spend controls across federal, foundation, and capital project funding streams.Joined the organization at inception and built the agency’s procurement operating model from the ground up. Over 25 years, evolved infrastructure from single-revenue administration to a multi-funder, compliance-driven environment embedding structured intake, approval logic, renewal governance, and audit-ready internal controls.Selected ImpactProcurement Architecture & ModernizationDesigned and implemented the agency’s end-to-end procurement framework, including structured intake workflows, approval matrices, segregation-of-duties controls, and renewal tracking discipline. Implemented DocuSign CLM and optimized Blackbaud workflows, reducing contract cycle time by 30% while improving routing transparency and audit readiness.Vendor & Capital Project OversightLed sourcing and vendor selection for construction and facilities projects, including RFP development, contractor evaluation, risk review, bonding compliance, and prevailing wage oversight.SaaS & Renewal GovernanceManage SaaS vendor portfolio including Zoom, DocuSign CLM, Blackbaud, and Bonterra. Lead renewal strategy, licensing alignment, and cost governance, embedding 90-day pre-renewal review checkpoints to strengthen negotiation leverage and reduce auto-renew exposure.Cross-Functional LeadershipPartner closely with Finance, County Counsel, Program, and Executive leadership to align procurement strategy with fiscal controls, risk management, and operational objectives.Policy & Control DesignAuthored agency-wide procurement policies, intake protocols, and training frameworks. Introduced fiscal verification checkpoints preventing unfunded obligations and strengthening internal financial controls.

Education

• California State University - East Bay

  Bachelor's Degree, Health Sciences/Marketing

  1991 — 1993

• California State University - East Bay

  Master's, Public Administration

  1996 — 1998

Skills

• Writing
• Editing
• Social Media
• Public Speaking
• Coaching
• Community Outreach
• Event Planning
• Non-Profits
• Fundraising
• Public Relations
• Blogging
• Nonprofits
• Grant Writing
• Volunteer Management
• Social Networking
• Program Development
• Creative Writing
• Teaching
• Community Development
• Newsletters