Lisa L. Forbes, CPA, DBA worked eight years in public accounting before becoming a professor of accounting and finance at Union College in 2002. As Audit Manager at Deloitte, one of the "Big 4" international public accounting firms, her audit clients included not-for profits (e.g. University of Nebraska), financial institutions (e.g. National Bank of Commerce), and wholesale/retail organizations (e. g. Nebraska Book Company).

She completed her doctorate in 2016, with a dissertation entitled "Signaling Theory in Human Service Nonprofit Organizations: The Impact of Nonprofit Executive Compensation on Giving."

Dr. Forbes has been presented with the student-chosen "Teacher of the Year" award twice, and is an AdventHealth Endowed Chair of Business Administration.