Welcome to this 2024 Kessler Foundation Baird Visiting Educational Professorship Lecture podcast.

Lisa Ottomanelli, PhD, a prominent researcher in the field of spinal cord injury (SCI) and disabilities, was a featured speaker at the 2023 Kessler Foundation Baird Visiting Educational Professorship.

Her work primarily revolves around implementing and assessing evidence-based strategies aimed at establishing employment opportunities and facilitating community reintegration for veterans with SCI and other disabilities.

In this podcast, she discussed the effectiveness of standardized evidence-based approaches that combine vocational rehabilitation with clinical care, highlighting their potential to enhance quality of life and foster competitive employment. Dr. Ottomanelli shared findings from two studies conducted in collaboration with the VA examining vocational rehabilitation in SCI. She also detailed key strategies for enhancing outcomes and implementing the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model into clinical rehabilitation to help people with SCI find competitive employment in their communities.

Currently, Dr. Ottomanelli is an associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling at the University of South Florida and a clinical psychologist at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Clinics in Tampa, FL.

The Baird Lecture Series educates the next generation of researchers on innovative medical rehabilitation research and treatment options.

For more information on
Lisa Ottomanelli, PhD, https://www.cindrr.research.va.gov/CINDRRRESEARCH/investigators_staff/lisa_ottomanelli.asp

SCI research at Kessler Foundation
https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/center-spinal-cord-injury-research

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This podcast was recorded in October 2023 and was edited and produced by Joan Banks-Smith, Creative Producer for Kessler Foundation.