Lisa Yost - 2024 PPP Award Winner

Lisa Yost Galvin took over Tenleytown Lawn & Landscape when her husband, Peter Galvin, passed away in 2021. As an ER doctor who knew nothing about landscaping or running a business, she quickly discovered an additional challenge: she couldn’t communicate with her team – none of them spoke English and she couldn’t speak Spanish. Realizing that this was a real barrier, Lisa found an English instructor through MCAEL, and established weekly English classes for her employees, which continue to this day. Employees are required to attend class, and Lisa pays for them to be there as part of their workday. Lisa describes it as a “game-changer.” The classes not only improved their communication, but established trust and a close bond.

At first, some of her employees were resistant – some hadn’t been in a classroom in 43 years, others had never been. Now, they look forward to their weekly classes. One of the younger crew members told Lisa, “When I first came to your company, I didn’t even know how to say hello, how to say my name.” He now speaks English so well that he assists as an interpreter for Lisa’s meetings.

The staff can better interact with their clients, and are earning promotions and pay increases. Learning English has also allowed them to better communicate with their neighbors, their children’s teachers, and their doctors. 

Lisa is currently learning Spanish in her spare time.