Liz Harris grew up in Manhasset, New York.  She earned a B.S. in Marketing, a B.S. in Economics and a minor in French, finishing undergraduate work in 3 years, in 1982.  After working for J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency for a year she attended Fordham University and earned her M.B.A. in Finance in one year, in 1984. Working during her teenage years for a family business gave her experience in real estate management.  Upon completion of her MBA, Harris worked for two real estate brokerage businesses before starting her own in 1986, called E.F. Realty, Inc., which she owned and operated for 11 years, in Roslyn, New York.

She moved to Midway, Kentucky in 1995 to get married and continued to operate her real estate business in New York until she sold it in 1997.  She immediately became involved with getting seasons donated for the TCA Stallion Season Auction and joined the board of Thoroughbred Charities of America in 1996.  Until she became the full time Executive Director of TCA, she was involved with fund raising for a variety of other organizations including The Lexington Philharmonic, The Lexington School, The Horse Park Foundation, Lexington Arts & Cultural Council, The Secretariat Foundation, Lexington Polo, and ReRun.  Ms. Harris' other interests include their two children, travel, tennis, photography, snorkling and (catch & release) fishing.