Lisa Gesser is an alcohol beverage regulatory and compliance professional with more than 26 years of federal experience interpreting, developing, and enforcing the laws and regulations governing the beverage alcohol industry. She began her career with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) in 2000 and continued with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) following its creation in 2003. Lisa retired from TTB on December 31, 2025, after serving in senior regulatory and policy leadership roles. She now advises alcohol beverage producers, importers, wholesalers, retailers, trade associations, and their counsel on complex federal regulatory, compliance, and enforcement matters.
During her federal career, Lisa served in leadership positions within both TTB’s Regulations and Rulings Division and the Trade Investigations Division’s Market Compliance Office. She led national regulatory and policy initiatives involving alcohol trade practices, labeling, advertising, market compliance, product integrity, and enforcement under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act (FAA Act). Her experience across the ATF-to-TTB transition and the full regulatory lifecycle—from rulemaking and regulatory interpretation to compliance evaluation and enforcement—gives her a rare perspective on how regulators develop policy, assess risk, and apply federal alcohol laws in practice.
Lisa’s experience encompasses virtually every aspect of federal alcohol beverage regulation, including trade practices, tied-house issues, exclusive outlet arrangements, commercial bribery, consignment sales, labeling, advertising, product integrity, market integrity, and regulatory compliance. Throughout her career, she drafted regulations, Treasury Decisions, Federal Register notices, industry circulars, rulings, procedures, and policy guidance that continue to influence the interpretation and administration of the FAA Act.
Known for her thoughtful, practical approach to complex regulatory issues, Lisa advised Bureau leadership, investigators, attorneys, and industry members on difficult questions involving statutory interpretation, regulatory compliance, emerging industry practices, and evolving business models. She also supported complex trade practice investigations and helped the Bureau address emerging issues involving digital advertising, social media, and marketplace innovation. In her consulting practice, Lisa draws on this experience to provide practical, business-focused advice that helps clients understand regulatory expectations, manage risk, and achieve effective compliance.
Education
Lisa earned a bachelor’s in business and management from the University of Maryland and an Associates in Business Administration. She also received extensive education and training throughout her federal career, including regulatory and government‑affairs training through the Georgetown University Government Affairs Institute, as well as specialized coursework with TTB/ATF in regulatory drafting, legislative process, and technical program operations—where she earned Honor Graduate distinction. She also completed TTB’s Leadership Exploration Program (LEP) for emerging leaders. Lisa was often part of TTB training efforts, sharing her knowledge and experience with other employees and industry members, and represented the Bureau at numerous industry trade events throughout her career.
Consulting
As an industry consultant at Lehrman Beverage Law, Lisa assists industry clients in a wide range of compliance matters, including:
- General Regulatory Compliance Matters
- TTB Labeling, Advertising and Formulation Compliance
- Alcohol Trade Practices (Tied House, Exclusive Outlet, Commercial Bribery, and Consignment Sales)
- Record-keeping Requirements
- Import and Foreign Trade Matters
- TTB Enforcement Matters and Trade Practice Investigations
- Product Integrity and Market Compliance
- Federal Regulatory Advocacy and Agency Relations
- Drafting Comments on TTB Policy Proposals
- Legislative History and Regulatory Research
