History

Lisa Joy Raines was a 1982 graduate of Georgetown Law School. A resident of Great Falls, Virginia, Lisa was Senior Vice President of Government Relations for the Genzyme Corporation in Washington DC, a biotechnology company. As Senior VP, Lisa worked hard to push forward patent protectors for the emerging field of cellular and gene treatments for rare diseases, and the fast tracking of promising treatments for cancer and AIDS. She worked tirelessly to ensure that the best medicines reached patients. Tragically, Lisa perished on September 11, 2001 aboard American Airlines 77, the flight that crashed into the Pentagon.

Based on conversations with Lisa’s family and friends, and through a generous contribution from the Genzyme Corporation, Georgetown University has created a fund to honor Lisa’s memory and her commitment to interdisciplinary research.