Meet the Expert: Lisa Trofe

Lisa Trofe
Senior Director of Standards Portfolio (Technology)

Lisa Trofe is senior director of the technology standards portfolio at UL Standards & Engagement, where she provides strategic leadership for standards development addressing emerging technologies and product safety. In her role, she works with technical experts, industry stakeholders, regulators, and other partners to advance consensus-based standards that help make products safer.

We had the chance to sit down to get to know Lisa better. Learn more about her experience and how it’s defining her approach to working for a safer, more sustainable world.

Q: Lisa, tell us a little about yourself and your role at UL Standards & Engagement. What does your work focus on day-to-day?

A: I serve as senior director of UL Standards & Engagement’s technology standards portfolio, where I provide strategic leadership across standards development for a range of technology-focused areas. This includes building life safety technologies, appliances, HVAC and lighting, sustainability, and software-enabled products, autonomy, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

As the lead on technology standards, I work across stakeholder groups to bring together the technical experts, manufacturers, regulators, and other partners needed to develop meaningful, consensus-based standards. A key focus is looking ahead: understanding how technology is evolving, identifying emerging safety challenges, and helping ensure our standards portfolio can support innovation while keeping safety at the forefront. I enjoy helping turn complex technical issues into practical solutions that can make a real difference for people and communities.

Q: Before joining ULSE, you led organizations focused on child and product safety. How did those experiences shape your approach to standards and safety today?

A: My experience leading The Baby Safety Alliance and The Baby Safety Foundation reinforced that safety is a shared responsibility. It takes manufacturers, technical experts, regulators, consumer advocates, educators, and others working toward a common goal to create meaningful progress.

That work also taught me to keep the end user at the center of the conversation. Behind every product category or technical requirement are real people and families who depend on products being safe. Today, I bring that same approach to emerging technologies: engage the right expertise, understand the risks, balance technical rigor with real-world application, and develop solutions that support both safety and responsible innovation.

Q: Are there any child product safety developments you’re especially proud to have been a part of?

A: I am especially proud of helping bring industry stakeholders, technical experts, educators, and advocates together around juvenile product safety. Developing a standard is important, but the impact comes from broader adoption–starting with when manufacturers follow the standard, when the products are tested and certified within the standard, and finally, when families understand how to actually use these products safely.

The most rewarding part has been advancing a broader culture of child safety. When people with different perspectives come together to identify risks and develop practical solutions, that work can have a tangible and lasting impact on children and families.

Q: For new and emerging technologies, can you explain how standards can serve as a resource to product developers and manufacturers?

A: Standards can help companies build a foundation for safety into a product from the earliest stages of development, rather than redressing recalls or corrections after a product is designed or reaches the market. They provide access to the collective expertise of technical specialists, industry practitioners, and other stakeholders who have worked together to identify hazards and develop ways to address them.

For emerging technologies, standards can translate complex safety considerations into practical guidance, test methods, performance criteria, and a shared understanding of expectations across an industry. They are not a barrier to innovation; when developed thoughtfully, they give product developers a clearer framework for managing risk and innovating responsibly.

Because technology can move faster than a traditional standards-development cycle, it is also important to use complementary tools – such as guidance documents, educational resources, and advocacy – to help advance safety while standards are still being developed.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges standards developers face when addressing new and rapidly changing technologies?

A: One of the biggest challenges is keeping pace with innovation without sacrificing technical rigor. Emerging technologies can introduce risks that are not yet fully understood, especially as technologies such as AI become embedded in products and interact with other systems in new ways.

Standards developers must bring together the right expertise early, including people from fields that may not traditionally work together. There is also an important balance to strike: standards need to be specific enough to address meaningful risks, while remaining flexible enough to stay relevant as technology evolves and avoid unnecessarily limiting innovation.

Ultimately, the goal is to be proactive rather than reactive, anticipating where safety issues may arise, engaging stakeholders early, and developing solutions that can evolve alongside the technology.

Q: What is one safety tip that most people don’t know but need to?

A: Don’t assume that once you have purchased a product, your safety homework is done. Take a few minutes to check for recalls, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and make sure you are using the product as intended. Especially as e-commerce expands, consumers should also be mindful that unsafe, noncompliant, or counterfeit products can make their way into the marketplace. A small amount of research can make a meaningful difference.