Lena is a longtime community activist, residing in Tampa, Florida. She worked for the State of Florida for almost 20 years, where she assisted in passage of many laws and state policies for community improvement. She has dedicated many years towards enhancing the quality of life for citizens and served as a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee. with the Hillsborough Planning Commission’s (HPC)  Comprehensive Planning, among others. Lena worked with the HPC to create the Tampa Heights Neighborhood Plan which was the first in the City of Tampa to be ratified by Tampa City Council and signed by the mayor. She is founder of the award winning Tampa Heights Community Garden, and along with Kitty Wallace, is co-founder of the Coalition of Community Gardens – Tampa Bay.