Center of Innovation on Disability & Rehab Research (CINDRR)
Luz Mairena Semeah, PhD, MPA
Dr. Semeah earned her doctorate in Housing at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where she also earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration. Before coming to CINDRR-GNV, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Florida, which was funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
Her research interests include the areas of disability policy and housing as a social determinant of health and as a non-institutional healthcare setting. Currently, she is focusing on Veterans who display disruptive behaviors in the non-institutional healthcare setting, such as in their homes during home care visits by VA clinicians, and the underreporting of such behavior by clinicians. She is lead author on two papers published on these topics.
Dr. Semeah is the Principal Investigator for a locally initiated program pilot project, “Home Improvements and Structural Alterations Benefits Program (HISA): An Exploratory Study.” This mixed methods study is collecting qualitative and quantitative data to examine (1) Veteran perceptions of and experiences with the program and (2) the structure, process, and implementation of the HISA program at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center.
Dr. Semeah is affiliated with the Young Leaders in Affordable Housing, Housing Education and Research Association and the American Society for Public Administration.
