Who Is Mark Warner's Wife? New Details On Lisa Collis
They met at a keg party.
getty Since 2008, Mark Warner has served as a U.S. Senator from Virginia. He was previously the Governor of the state for four years, and has also been involved in a telecommunications-related venture capital. He’s currently a Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and the Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He was originally considered to be a Democratic nominee in the 2008 presidential election, as well as a potential vice president candidate, but didn’t take the job after winning the nomination for the Senate.
Just like his Democratic colleagues, Warner has very similar views on a variety of issues. He voted in favor of the ACA, voted to expand background checks for people purchasing guns, and supported an increase in the minimum wage rates, but he broke with his party when he voted in favor of the president’s $350 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. He’s also received millions of dollars in campaign contributions from JP Morgan Chase, Columbia Capital, and the Blackstone Group.
But when he’s not in the spotlight, what is his personal life like? Does he ever find time to spend with his family given his political career? We’re more curious about just who is Mark Warner's wife. So, here are 7 details about Lisa Collis and their relationship.
1. She wanted to be in the Peace Corps.
After graduating college with a degree in biology from UVA, Lisa joined the Peace Corps, but the mission she was assigned was canceled. Instead, she decided to earn her master’s degree in public health from the University of Texas and later went on to help those in need in Central America. After she earned her master’s she helped Vietnamese orphans who survived Operation Baylift, and became a stay at home mom after her children were born.
2. They met at a keg party.
In 1984, the two met at a party that Mark and his roommates were throwing in their house. Lisa attended with her roommate, and the two hit it off. “He was so different. I remember he was into Peter, Paul and Mary, and that wasn’t a cool thing to do. He was very high-energy and sincere. He didn’t try to impress me, and I liked that,” Lisa remembers of the first time they met.
3. They’ve been married almost 30 years.
The couple wed in 1989.
4. They have three kids.
They are parents to three daughters: Madison, Gillian, and Eliza, all in their 20s.
5. She kept her maiden name.
While mark was the Governor of Virginia, Lisa kept her maiden name, making her the first Virginia lady to do so. “I always envisioned that I would keep my birth name, and Mark is fine with that. I have a lot of pride in my family heritage,” she said.
6. People consider them opposites.
According to Lisa, she doesn’t need to agree with everything her husband says and is actually more liberal than him. “I don’t feel I can’t disagree with him. Of course, if it’s legislation he proposes, I will be more circumspect. But if anyone in a conversation asks my opinion, my instinct would be to give it,” she said.
7. They created a foundation to help low-income children.
In 1997, the two founded the Collis-Warner Foundation, which gives grants to state and private programs in an effort to stop child abuse and assist children from low-income families. As of 2017, the foundation gave a $500,000 grand to Virginia Health Care Foundation’s behavioral program.
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.