Lisa Hannold, PhD
In Memorium September 26, 1963 - September 28, 2015
Research Health Scientist
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Elizabeth “Lisa" Hannold, PhD was a Research Health Scientist at the VA Center of Innovation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (CINDRR), North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, FL. A graduate of the University of Florida’s Rehabilitation Science Doctoral Program, she was a VA Pre-doc Fellow and VA Post-doc Fellow prior to her nearly 12 year tenure at RORC/CINDRR as a Research Health Scientist. Dr. Hannold’s research focused on community reintegration of injured Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) Veterans and their families. A proud daughter of a Veteran and from a family of many Veterans, her passion was to empower Veterans. An expert in qualitative research methods, Dr. Hannold was published in JRR&D and Military Medicine, among others. She also lectured at the University of Florida in the College of Public Health and Health Professions and was a mentor to many undergraduates and graduate students at UF, as well as postdoctoral fellows and junior scientists at CINDRR.
Dr. Hannold’s neuromuscular condition provided her a unique perspective into the health, rehabilitation and community integration needs of persons with disabilities. She strived to incorporate the perspectives of Veterans into her research, for example, studying how to redesign outcome measures so that they address the issues most important to Veterans with disabilities. She was also a proponent of focusing on the positive aspects of the disability experience, a perspective she said that enabled her to “think outside of the box.” She served as investigator and co-investigator on many projects funded by HSR&D, RR&D and DoD to improve the health and quality of life of Veterans and conducted numerous disability awareness presentations for both medical and rehabilitation professionals and the general public.
A favorite quote of Dr. Hannold’s was: “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path…and leave a trail,” and she certainly did this. She lived an extraordinary life, touching everyone who knew her with her brilliance, kindness, and enthusiasm for life. She will never be forgotten by her colleagues and friends at the VA and beyond. Dr. Hannold is survived by her beloved parents, Marvin R. and Anna Hannold of Gainesville and her dog Chaz. She was preceded in death by her brother and sister, Rick and Julie Hannold.
Donations in her name can be made to two organizations that she supported: R.W.B. Dog T.A.G.S. http://rwbdogtags.org/ and the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank, https://www.breadofthemighty.org/. Her memorial page is at the Williams Thomas Funneral Home website.“Like much of the general population, scientists may incorrectly assume that disability and its consequences are always unfavorable experiences and fail to recognize any positive aspects of the disability experience...”
--- Lisa Hannold, PhD
