Associate Professor, Gerontology Program Coordinator

Psychology Department

Since joining MSU in 2011, Lisa has sought out opportunities for her and her students to reach out and become involved in a plethora of community activities. While attending a League of Women Voters Conference, she was inspired to join the organization and help with an assessment of community health. This began a two-year journey, in which she and a handful of others reached out to hospitals, jails, community organizations, and mental health facilities to answer questions about the state of mental health in the Ozarks.

In a broader sense, Lisa has also became aware of and involved with a range of community organizations via her students. Looking to find ways to apply classroom sociology to the real world, she tasked her students with exploring their passion, find a corresponding community organization, interview an individual from that organization, and create a report for a poster fair.  Located in the Strong Hall atrium, this became known as the Societal Issues and Community Service Fair, which she coordinated for two years.

Currently Lisa is coordinating efforts to fund a sponsored website for the Ozarks Mental Health Network. Her vision is to create a “one stop shop” for local mental health resources to make public information much easier to access and understand. The website will provide background on mental health legislation, allow people to navigate mental health services, with and without insurance, and would ideally be a place for people to connect as well.

Interview and spotlight provided by Cole Howerton, student assistant, Office of Public Affairs Support.