# Lisa M. Brown

Lisa M. Brown is a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University and an adjunct professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. Her research areas include trauma, resilience, global mental health, aging, vulnerable populations, human rights, and disasters.

## Education

Brown received a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in gerontology from the City University of New York in 1980. In 2002, Brown simultaneously received her master's (M.A.) and PhD degrees in clinical psychology at the Pacific Graduate School at Palo Alto University.

## Career

Brown is a professor at Palo Alto University and an adjunct professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. Additionally, as a researcher, her responsibilities can include developing and evaluating mental health programs, protecting those involved in catastrophes (e.g. natural disasters, pandemics, and traumatic events), improving access to resources and services, and assisting stakeholders. Before moving to California, she was an associate professor at the University of South Florida.

### Palo Alto University

Brown is a director and faculty advisor to a variety of programs within Palo Alto University. Brown is the director of the Trauma Program, the director of the Risk and Resilience Research Lab, and the director of the Peace and Human Rights Lab. Brown is a faculty advisor to Psi Chi as well as the faculty advisor to the Association of Traumatic Stress Studies (ATSS). The goal of ATSS is to help students interested in studying trauma and getting experience through learning about the field and networking with other students and professionals with the same interests while also spreading awareness about trauma to the general public.

### Stanford University

Brown is a member of the Human Rights in Trauma Mental Health program at Stanford University School of Medicine.

### University of South Florida

Brown was an associate professor in the School of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida from 2003 until 2014. From 2007 to 2014, Brown was the assistant clinical director of Disaster Behavioral Health Services and the Florida Department of Health. This role required her to assist in writing the state disaster behavioral health response plan, develop regional disaster behavioral health teams, and do evaluations for the SAMHSA and FEMA crisis counseling programs.

### Professional services

Since the early 2000s, Brown has been a part of many national, international, and state committees and commissions. From 2008 to 2011, Brown served on the Disaster Mental Health Subcommittee of the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) Federal Advisory Committee. She was part of the team that developed a behavioral health response to disasters, terrorism, and pandemics. In 2010, Brown founded the Disasters and Older Adults Special Interest Group within the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). More recently, in 2020, Brown began research with the CMS Coronavirus Commission on Safety and Quality among Nursing Homes. From 2020 to 2021 Brown was the president of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 20 – the adult development and aging division. Brown has also served on the National Advisory Committee on Seniors and Disasters for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

### Fulbright Specialist Award Program

The Fulbright Specialist Program (FSP) is operated by the U.S. Department of State and was established in 2001. The FSP is designed to provide faculty and other professionals with the opportunity to collaborate on project-based activities at other institutions around the world. The program can last between two and six weeks. There are 160 participating areas around the world, including the United States, South America, Africa, Europe, India, and Asia. The FSP has on average 400 specialists traveling each year.
Brown had the opportunity to be a part of the Fulbright Specialist Program two years in a row. In 2014, Brown traveled to the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica. Once more in 2015, Brown went to Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand.

## Publications and research

Brown's research areas of interest include aging, trauma, resilience, disasters, terrorism, violence, human rights, suicide, assessment, treatment, and vulnerable and underserved populations. Brown has authored more than 150 articles and book chapters.
Brown was a co-editor for the 2007 Oxford University Press on the Psychology of Terrorism and the 2011 Psychological First Aid Field Guide for Nursing Home Residents.
Brown has also worked with active and retired service duty members. She explored active-duty members' suicidal ideation and behavior using latent analysis. The goal of the study was to identify subgroups that can share similar thoughts and patterns to target intervention and support. Brown also researched homeless veterans and how age can impact the outcomes for those in transitional housing programs.
Brown was a co-author of Trauma-Informed Care Guidebook for Implementation of Trauma-Informed Best Practices for International Criminal Investigations which was published by United Nations. In addition to writing guidebooks, Brown also does assessments and evaluations of systems already in place. She examined the support and intervention system for survivors of sexual assault, DAHLIA. Within this review, she and colleagues found that DAHLIA is moderately successful in relieving the immediate feelings of anxiety and depression in individuals.
Brown has researched how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted both practitioners and patients focused on long-term care within psychology. In addition to pandemics, natural disasters like hurricanes are an area of interest for Brown. After the 2004 (Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne) and 2005 (Cindy, Dennis, Katrina, Ophelia, Rita, and Wilma) hurricanes in Florida, Brown conducted a study of the experience of faculty and staff in assisted living homes for both shelter in place and evacuation protocols. The study found that deciding which protocol to put in place was difficult and electricity was vital to resident well-being. They suggested that assisted living facilities should develop disaster preparedness plans in conjunction with local and state emergency offices.