Lisa Early to retire after two decades; cites Kids Zone, After School and CVI as drivers of improved youth outcomes

ORLANDO — At a Dec. 12, 2025 workshop of the Orlando City Council, Lisa Early, director of Family, Parks and Recreation, reviewed more than 20 years of city youth programs and announced she will retire in February.

Early told council members and staff that a city study comparing groups of children found "the biggest factor was poverty," a finding she said guided the department’s shift toward a cradle-to-career approach that bundles child care, after-school programs, mentoring, housing assistance and employment support.

Why it matters: Early credited the city’s Kids Zone model, Orlando After School All Stars, Operation AmeriCorps and Peace Orlando (the city’s community violence intervention program) with measurable improvements on several indicators. She urged incoming leaders to sustain investment, saying political will is a key determinant of whether results continue.

Early described long-standing neighborhood centers as the "roots" of the city’s approach and provided program figures: just over 1,500 children…