December Volunteer Spotlight – Lisa Stone, ACP

NALA Volunteer Spotlight – December 2024
Lisa Stone, ACP

Lisa Stone, ACP, serves on NALA’s Board of Directors as Area 2 Director. She has also served on the Certifying Board since 2016 and is the immediate Past Chair. She works as the Legal Operations Manager for a global pipeline services company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, supporting its global legal team and executive leadership team.

Her education and certifications help set her apart in the legal sphere. She has a Bachelor of Arts in political science. She earned her NALA Certified Paralegal (CP^®) credential in 1996 and now holds three Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP^®) credentials in Discovery, Contracts Administration/Contracts Management, and Business Organizations: Incorporated Entities.

Lisa’s path to becoming certified with NALA began after she completed her bachelor’s degree. Without a solid plan for moving forward, she spoke with a paralegal in her hometown to learn more about the field.

“I remember having that feeling of stepping into warm sunshine, where you know you just found your calling,” Lisa reminisced.

Her hometown paralegal encouraged her to pursue NALA certification, so Lisa researched the qualifications for taking the Certified Paralegal (CP^®) Exam and began working to meet the eligibility requirements. She passed the exam on her first try in 1996.

“My certification is as important to me now as it was all those years ago,” Lisa declared. “It remains one of my proudest achievements.”

Lisa’s appreciation of the value and importance of NALA certification made her a clear candidate for NALA’s Certifying Board. Back in 2016, the Chair of the Certifying Board reached out to her about joining. While she initially had limited information about the Board’s purpose and activities, she was intrigued by what she learned. Armed with her newfound knowledge and enthusiasm, Lisa joined the Certifying Board. After eight years of service, she is still passionate about her role.

“Serving on the Certifying Board has truly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my paralegal career,” Lisa reflected. “I am incredibly proud of NALA’s CP^® program.”

Lisa’s years on the Certifying Board, including a two-year term as Chair, cultivated her love for serving NALA and allowed her to forge meaningful personal and professional relationships. Her desire to continue serving NALA’s members and commitment to shaping NALA’s next 50 years as the leading paralegal association led her to run for a position on the Board of Directors.

“As the Area 2 Director, I am proud to represent the NALA members from 17 states in the center of the country,” Lisa shared. “I work to make my voice on the NALA Board of Directors reflect what is best for our members.”

With over 25 years of NALA membership under her belt, Lisa has some practical advice for her fellow NALA members. She encourages them to get involved with their local affiliated association, emphasizing the importance of serving. She also urges them to take advantage of NALA’s educational opportunities. When she made a major shift in her paralegal career, NALA’s webinars helped with her learning curve. Some of her favorite aspects of being a NALA member are networking, relationships, and conferences.

“I leave every NALA conference inspired to go home and be better at my job and serving my employer,” Lisa shared.

Two of Lisa’s favorite conference memories come from the virtual conferences. In 2020, she and two of her closest paralegal friends attended the conference from three different states. They innovated a complex setup that allowed them to watch the conference on their computers while communicating with each other on their iPads.

In 2021, she met with the same friends at a resort that boasted various restaurants, pools, and a spa. They attended the conference together from their adjoining hotel rooms, taking breaks to visit the pool and spa. Lisa expressed how much fun these experiences were.

Outside of work, Lisa is an avid reader, theater lover, and pop culture junkie. Her favorite quote is from Seven Gothic Tales by Isak Dinesen. “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.”

She also loves to spoil her cat, Abbey. During lockdown in 2020, she taught herself how to knit by watching YouTube videos. In addition to her duties as a paralegal, she provides technical support to her aging parents so they can use streaming services and mobile devices.

Lisa considers her best friend, Carl Morrison, to be her role model. They met years ago through their local paralegal association. He has always encouraged her to reach for more in her career. Lisa sees Carl as a continual inspiration and a gift.

A seemingly average conversation with a paralegal in her hometown led to Lisa’s distinguished career in the legal industry. Her 25 years as a member, three ACP^® credentials, and eight years of service are a testament to her unwavering commitment to NALA and the paralegal profession.