The Founder
The survivor behind the lens — writer, speaker, photographer, advocate, and two-time cancer survivor.
About Lisa
Lisa Howard is a dynamic writer, speaker, photographer, and two-time cancer survivor. Her motivation to promote better health outcomes and increase clinical trial participation for African Americans drives her service as a blood cancer advocate with the University of Chicago Medicine.
An aspiring author, Lisa is a co-principal investigator for a photo-voice research study that raises awareness, fosters empowerment, and identifies barriers in cancer care. As the Artist-in-Residence Photographer for UChicago Medicine, she uses her lens to document events within the cancer community, and her lived experience to inform and inspire newly diagnosed patients.
She has served as a panelist on health disparities at the Black Women's Expo and as a keynote speaker, honored hero, and host for Blood Cancer United's largest fundraiser, Light The Night. A loving wife and mother, Lisa is faith-driven — embodying a life of purpose, perseverance, and positivity.
Recognition
Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Honoree
Honored Hero, Chicago — Blood Cancer United
National Council of Negro Women Awardee
The Inspiration
The inspiration behind the name The Image of Grace is deeply personal. The company was born from a belief that photographs preserve more than moments — they preserve strength, testimony, healing, and legacy.
The name honors Lisa's late mother, Grace, who passed away from metastatic breast cancer in June 1991. Her life embodied love, resilience, faith, and quiet strength. Although her time was cut short, her impact continues to shape who Lisa is and how she serves others. Naming the company in her honor is both a tribute to her legacy as the family's historian and a reminder that grace can exist even in life's most difficult seasons.
"Blessed is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her."Luke 1:45
The Work
As a two-time cancer survivor and advocate, Lisa understands firsthand the emotional and physical journey illness brings, and the importance of preserving stories that matter. Through photography and digital storytelling, her mission is to create meaningful images that honor survivors' journeys and remind them they are more than their struggles.
