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Lisa Ottomanelli, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital & Clinics in Tampa, Florida, delivered the 2023 NIDILRR Invited Lecture for CROR’s RRTC on Employment for Persons with Physical Disabilities on September 11.
Her presentation was on employment for veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) and included findings from her own research to identify evidence-based approaches to increasing employment for veterans with SCI and TBI.
You can watch her presentation . Certified Rehabilitation Counselor continuing education credits (CEUs) are available for reviewing this presentation recording and completing an evaluation form. Please contact Deborah Crown at dcrown@sralab.org if interested.
Dr. Ottomanelli has more than 25 years of experience in the Veterans Health Administration serving veterans with spinal cord injuries and cognitive and mental disabilities, working with diverse interdisciplinary teams and advocating for systems change to implement best practices in rehabilitation services.
Dr. Ottomanelli is a highly productive and successful VA clinician-investigator and a faculty member of the University of South Florida (USF). Since 2005, she has had continuous federal funding. Her work began with multisite research studies that adapted the individualized placement and support model of supported employment for the SCI medical rehabilitation setting. Her current work includes a randomized trial of customized employment and the development of an employment learning collaborative. She has authored more than 50 publications, and her work has been translated into professional guidelines, toolkits, and consumer resources.
Dr. Ottomanelli completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at Texas Tech University and her internship at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling at USF. She serves on the Governance Board of the Academy of SCI Professionals (ASCIP) as President of the Psychologists, Social Workers, and Counselors Section and on the Veterans Advisory Council on Rehabilitation.
Dr. Ottomanelli has been recognized by the prestigious Licht Award for excellence in scientific writing from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Clinical Excellence Award from the Paralyzed Veterans of America, and the Essie Morgan Excellence Award from the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals for demonstration in outstanding leadership in the areas of psychosocial adjustment and rehabilitation of persons with SCI.