ABOUT ME

Meet Lissa Brutus

I'm Lissa Brutus. I live in Middletown, Delaware, I have been working as a commercial real estate appraiser 13 years, and spend most of my free time helping my community build something that lasts.

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If you look at my life, you'll notice a common thread: land, ownership, community, and generational wealth. That's not just what I do for a living, it's what I'm passionate about.

 

A Foundation of Civic Responsibility

I was raised by parents who believed civic engagement wasn't optional. Politics and public service were regular conversations in our home, and they made sure I understood that paying attention to what government is doing is part of being a responsible citizen.

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Ironically, I wasn't interested in politics growing up, even though I still remember sitting with my parents watching the Clinton-Bush debates. Years later, I stumbled across C-SPAN, and everything changed. I became fascinated by watching people debate policy, following a bill from introduction to becoming law, and seeing congressional hearings unfold. It made me realize that government isn't just politics, it's how decisions are made that affect all of us.

 

Why I Vote

My mother is the reason I vote.

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She raised me to understand that voting isn't something you do every four years, it's a responsibility every year. If I hadn't voted, she'd remind me, and if she had to, she'd put me in the car and drive me to the polls herself.

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When I think about the sacrifices people made so someone who looks like me could have the right to vote, I don't believe there's an excuse not to participate. In my family, Election Day was never just another day on the calendar. It was a day of reverence.

 

My Career: Building Communities Through Real Estate

Professionally, I'm a commercial real estate appraiser at a regional bank, where I've worked for the past six years.

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When I was searching for my next opportunity, one of my biggest priorities was finding an employer that genuinely valued and supported my community involvement, not just in words, but in action.

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Real estate has become more than my profession. It's my platform for helping people understand how communities grow and how wealth is built across generations.

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Everything I do centers on land and legacy.

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Whether I'm speaking to residents, students, or community organizations, I focus on helping people understand how to strengthen their neighborhoods, attract commercial investment, and increase property values responsibly. I talk about the history of redlining, how many communities arrived where they are today, and, more importantly, the practical solutions that can create stronger neighborhoods for future generations.

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I also believe that ownership is only part of the equation. Clear title, estate planning, wills, and preserving family property are just as important if we want wealth to last beyond one generation.

 

Community Leadership & Service

Community service isn't something I squeeze into my schedule. It's how I choose to spend my free time, and every organization I serve reflects something I care about. On the New Castle County Planning Board, I've seen how zoning and land use shape how communities grow. Through True Access Capital, where I chair the Women's Business Center Advisory Board, I help entrepreneurs reach capital that traditional lending puts out of reach. With the Jones Community Development Foundation, Housing Opportunities of Northern Delaware, and the YWCA, I support affordable housing and expand economic opportunity for women and families across our region.​

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Why I Serve

At the end of the day, community service isn't something I do because it's expected of me, it's something I genuinely love.

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Every board, every volunteer role, every presentation, and every conversation is rooted in the same belief: that stronger communities are built when people have knowledge, opportunity, and a chance to create lasting wealth for themselves and the generations that follow.

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I'm grateful for every opportunity to serve because this work truly fulfills me.