Elizabethtown College announced Lisa Aukamp Payne ’80, retired chairman and chief financial officer of The Taubman Centers, Inc. LLC as the 116th Commencement speaker. Laura Schanz ’07, owner and senior consultant of Laura Schanz Consulting Associates, LLC, will speak at the Elizabethtown College School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) Commencement. The ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday, May 18, at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. respectively.

Both ceremonies will be live streamed at etown.edu.


About Lisa Payne ’80

Payne served as Vice Chairman and CFO at The Taubman Centers, Inc. for more than 19 years successfully leading financial operations. Before joining Taubman, she was vice president, Real Estate Department, at Goldman Sachs for 10 years. There, she led acquisition and development financing, merger and acquisition advisories, as well as public and private debt and equity offerings.

An alumna of Elizabethtown College, Payne also earned her MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

Payne is a member of the E-town Heritage Society. She is a supporter of The Bowers Center for Sports, Fitness, and Well-being, the James B. Hoover Center for Business, the Jay Walk Project, Gibble Renovations and the Elizabethtown College Fund. Payne currently serves on the College’s Leadership Council, and in 2006 received the Professional Achievement “Educate for Service” award.

Payne currently is a member of the board of directors of Masco Corporation, Rockwell International, and J.C. Penney. She also is an active philanthropist and leader in her Michigan community where she lives with her family.


About Laura Schanz ’07

Schanz is the founder and president of Laura Schanz Consulting Associates, LLC which provides consulting, coaching and communications support to businesses and not-for-profit organizations throughout Central and Eastern Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland.

Prior to relaunching her firm, Schanz was involved, from 1998 until 2016, with several Central Pennsylvania businesses serving in various roles as a leader, manager, owner and chief operating officer/president.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business and Professional Studies from Elizabethtown College, and completed graduate coursework in the MBA program at Elizabethtown.

Schanz was awarded the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Athena Award. She is also the recipient of the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

A long-time resident of Lancaster County, she is committed to giving back to the community as a frequent facilitator, emcee and keynote speaker.