Gelsomino, Lisa

Lisa Gelsomino is the President/CEO and founding partner of Avalon Risk Management (Avalon), a leading provider of customs bonds and insurance solutions for the international trade and logistics industry. With over 30 years of experience, Lisa brings strong leadership skills and knowledge to the trade. Under her leadership, Avalon has been selected as Commercial Agency of the Year, Best Places to Work in Insurance for seven consecutive years, and Shining Star for overall excellence and community service.

Lisa was appointed to the 14^th term of COAC in April 2015 and co-chaired the TERC Subcommittee, AD/CVD, Bond, Forced Labor, IPR, FTZ and Pipeline Working Groups. In April 2018, she was also reappointed to the 15^th term of COAC and serves as the Trade Co-Chair for COAC.

Lisa has also been active in the Trade Support Network (TSN) since 2009. She currently serves on the Trade Leadership Council for the TSN in addition to various committees. Lisa is actively involved in the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association (NCBFAA), Pacific Coast Council (PCC), and NCBFAA ISF Subcommittee. 

Lisa is a Board Member of the International Trade Surety Association (ITSA), which works closely with CBP through the Customs Surety Executive Committee (CSEC). Through her industry involvement, Lisa helps CBP conduct extensive trade outreach to better understand trade and enforcement initiatives. 

During her 30-year career in international trade, Lisa has held numerous positions in the insurance industry on both the agency and company side and was highlighted by the Journal of Commerce as one of 25 Successful Woman in International Trade. Lisa is the licensed corporate insurance holder for Avalon nationwide and pursuing her ARM, CPCU, and CCS professional designations. Lisa holds an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business and Bachelor’s of Science Degree (Magna Cum Laude) from Northern Illinois University. 

When not consumed with her passion for international trade, Lisa loves spending time and traveling with her family.  She is actively involved in giving back to the community through the Avalon Compassion Team (A.C.T.) which supports several different charitable organizations.