Judge, Missouri Court of Appeals

Director, DEED Foundation, Truman Library Institute, St. Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy

Since 2001, Lisa White Hardwick has served as a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Western District. In addition to her board involvement with the NACD Heartland Chapter, she currently serves on the boards of directors for the Truman Library Institute, St. Luke’s Hospital, the Kansas City Crime Commission, the Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy, and the Center School District Educational Foundation. She is president of the Foundation for Delta Educational and Economic Development (DEED), as well as property manager of its historic venue, the Delta Athenaeum. Committed to matters of equity and justice, she co-chairs the Missouri Supreme Court Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts.

Judge Hardwick has 35 years of experience in the legal profession and service to Kansas City’s civic and nonprofit community. Before her appointment to the appellate bench, she was a trial court judge on the Jackson County Circuit Court and practiced law as a partner in the Shook Hardy & Bacon law firm. As an elected official, she served two terms as an at-large representative on the Jackson County Legislature. Her previous board memberships include Rockhurst High School, Swope Community Health Center, the Community Blood Center, and the Niles Home for Children.

As a native of Kansas City, Judge Hardwick attended the University of Missouri-Columbia and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School.