Never Stop Learning: A&S Champion Awardee Alisa Zanetti on Leadership, Service and Giving Back

For Alisa Zanetti, the University of Louisville has had a constant presence in her life across decades of growth, learning, and leadership. 

A two-time UofL alumna, Zanetti earned her bachelor's degree in economics in 1997 before returning to UofL later in her career to earn a graduate degree in sustainability. Over the course of a 34-year career with the U.S. Postal Service, she has built experience spanning operations, strategy, sustainability, technology, leadership and eCommerce while continuing to give back through mentoring, volunteering and service to the university community.   

A recent recipient of the 2026 A&S Champion Award, Zanetti participated in a Q&A about returning to the classroom, the value of lifelong learning, her wide-ranging career, and why she believes success includes reaching back to help others move forward. 

What has kept you connected to UofL, and what did returning as a graduate student mean to you? 

UofL has always felt like home to me. When I earned my Economics degree in 1997, it gave me the confidence to see myself as a leader and take on challenges I might not have imagined for myself. College was very different back then - statistics were done by hand, the textbooks were huge, and I don’t even remember carrying a backpack! 

Coming back decades later for my master’s degree was exciting and a little humbling. Before classes started, I did a practice run with a map to make sure I could find all of the buildings. Of course, I also had to stop and take a picture on the steps of the Sigma Kappa house. 

For many years, I put my energy into my family and was proud to raise two KHSAA state champions. Eventually, I decided it was time to invest in myself again. I was balancing family, graduate school, and a national headquarters leadership career based in Washington, D.C. From my time working in the Chief Technology Officer organization, I knew I wanted to learn more about technology. I took advantage of study groups and gave myself the extra time I needed to understand new platforms and tools. 

I especially loved the GIS lab. I met other students there, and the lab stayed open late for students like me. Some nights, my professor let me stay until 11 p.m. so I could keep working until I felt confident about my homework. That patience and support meant so much to me. 

I was the oldest student in my class—and older than all of my professors—but I loved it. By the end of the semester, some of the younger students were coming to me for help because they knew I watched all of the homework videos and usually finished my assignments several days early. 

Returning to UofL reminded me that you are never too old or too experienced to learn something new. It renewed my confidence and made me even prouder to be a Cardinal. 

How did your Arts & Sciences education prepare you for such a wide-ranging career? 

My Economics degree gave me a strong foundation in analysis and decision-making. My graduate studies helped me connect that to sustainability, technology, GIS, operational excellence, and engineering-style problem-solving. I also developed public speaking and media skills through class presentations and my experiences in Sigma Kappa. 

One of my favorite graduate experiences was a distillery class connected with Brown-Forman. We used tools like value-stream mapping to study the production process, water waste, recycling, and ways the company could operate more sustainably. We even created a Christmas billboard project. 

That class was extra special to me because both my grandfather and uncle worked at Old Forester. I enjoyed learning more about the history and production of a Brown-Forman product while working on real business and sustainability challenges. 

The experience also connected naturally with my Postal Service career. In one position, I worked in a chief-of-staff role within the Chief Technology Officer organization and was introduced to the Postal Service’s electric vehicle fleet. This was around the same time Ford was introducing the electric F-150 Lightning. It was exciting to see that kind of innovation happening in both the government and the automotive industry. Personally, I love Ford Motor Company and its trucks—and I would love to own an electric Ford truck! 

My UofL education taught me to stay curious, be self-driven, and continue learning. That mindset has helped me move across operations, strategy, sustainability, technology, leadership, and eCommerce during my 34-year Postal Service career. 

Why is giving back to students and UofL important to you? 

I give back because UofL gave me confidence, and I want other students to experience that same feeling. I know what it is like to come from a rural community, balance school with real-life responsibilities, need extra time in the lab, and benefit from someone who believes in you while you are still learning to believe in yourself. 

Through mentoring, speaking, volunteering, scholarship presentations, Sigma Kappa alumnae activities, and serving as a graduate ambassador, I try to show students that there is no single path to success. I began with an Economics degree, built a long career in public service, moved into national leadership and technology, and then returned to school later in life. 

I hope students understand that it is okay to ask questions, stay late in the lab, try something unfamiliar, and keep working until they feel confident. I also want them to know that when they become successful, they should reach back and help another student move forward. 

UofL is a state university that welcomes students from many different places and backgrounds. For students like me who came from a rural Kentucky community, it can open the door to opportunities we may not have imagined for ourselves. 

What advice would you give today’s Arts & Sciences students? 

Raise your hand, try new things, and don’t let one degree or job title limit what you believe you can do. Sometimes the best rides are the ones that are unplanned. Your career may take you in directions you cannot see today. Mine has included economics, mail processing, delivery, marketing, logistics, sustainability, national strategy, technology, electric vehicles, and now, eCommerce technology. 

I started at UofL and the Postal Service in the same year, and both gave me a family. While living in the Sigma Kappa house, I was also working at the Post Office. My postal family helped me get started in life—they gave me my first couch, dishes, and silverware. The senior employees also took the time to mentor younger, newer employees like me. That foundation stayed with me and inspired me to give back and help others throughout my career. 

One of the Postal Service’s greatest strengths is its diversity. I have had the opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds, generations, communities, and parts of the country. Each person brought something valuable to the table, and I learned something from every department and every team. Today, I believe one of my biggest strengths is that I have worked in almost every department within the Postal Service. 

Don’t be embarrassed if something takes time to learn. I spent many late nights in the GIS lab because I wanted to understand the work and feel confident completing it. Asking for help and putting in extra time are signs of determination, not weakness. 

Look for opportunities to apply what you learn to real problems. Whether I was studying water waste at a distillery, learning about electric vehicles, leading national Postal Service projects, or managing technology, my most valuable experiences connected learning with action. 

Finally, keep learning, work with people who are different from you, and be open to the unplanned opportunities that come your way. Remember the people who helped you get started, and once you are able, reach back and do the same for someone else. Success is not just about your title—it is also about what you learn, the relationships you build, and the people you help along the way. 

Your career is like a meal ticket. Many of us remember the real ones! Get it punched in every food group to stay healthy, then go back for seconds on the opportunities you enjoyed most. Today, keep earning points by taking on more development opportunities.