On March 12, Lisa Defendiefer, Deputy Director of Operations for the Capital Crossroads and Discovery SIDs, celebrated her 20th anniversary with the organization. An original employee of the SID, Lisa built the "clean and safe" programs from its inception.

Defendiefer oversees an award-winning security network that links the public and private sectors in real-time. She also manages the homeless outreach program, which provides vital services to people in need.

Her tireless efforts have made downtown one of the safest areas of Columbus. 

That hard work and success have been recognized through the years with a number of prestigious awards. These include:

• 2017 Light Central Ohio Blue Citizen of the Year
• 2017 Matthew Simeone ASIS Award for Public/Private Partnership Excellence
• 2014 National Homeland Security Conference Public/Private Partnership Award
• 2004 Ohio Community Policing Strategy from the Ohio Crime Prevention Association.

“It is hard to believe it’s been 20 years. But I am grateful for that time and that the SID boards have empowered me to build a ‘clean and safe’ program from the ground up," Lisa said.

"I am thankful that I get to work with my office colleagues, ambassadors, and special duty officers. Their commitment to downtown is extraordinary and has resulted in the development you see in downtown today," she added

"Perhaps I am most proud of how we all worked together this past year. We raised money for port-a-johns, and hand-washing stations, and warming centers for those on the streets who did not have access due to the pandemic. And we were some of the first on the street in May to clean up from the property destruction. It was one of the toughest years for so many, and I am so proud of our team for making a difference in the community.”