Lisa Renzi-Hammond, a leading expert in aging and cognition, has been named the Leonard W. Poon Professor for Innovation in Public Health and Aging.
The professorship honors the legacy of Leonard W. Poon, Distinguished Research Professor and Director of the Institute of Gerontology at the College of Public Health, 1985-2011. During his tenure, Poon initiated and led university, state, national, and international programs that placed the University of Georgia in the forefront of public health and aging.
“Receiving the Poon Professorship reflects Dr. Renzi-Hammond’s many achievements and dedication to serving and improving the lives of older adults. There is no doubt that she will continue Dr. Poon’s legacy in Georgia and around the world. Her passion for this work is palpable and inspiring to all who know her,” said Marsha Davis, dean of the University of Georgia College of Public Health.
Renzi-Hammond is the director of the Institute of Gerontology (IOG) at the College of Public Health and co-directs the Cognitive Aging Research and Education (CARE) Center. Since joining the College in 2017, Renzi-Hammond has contributed significantly to the College’s mission to improve the health of all through a leadership and research approach that emphasizes the power of collaboration.
Renzi-Hammond has received over $4 million in extramural research funding as a principal investigator or co-PI, from diverse funding sources, including the National Institutes of Health, private industry, state contracts and community foundations. As senior or key personnel, Renzi-Hammond has participated in sponsored research projects totaling more than $20 million.
As IOG director, she has dramatically increased the number of faculty from non-public health backgrounds collaborating with the Institute and has expanded the Institute’s certificate program to include students from a broader range of degree programs. It’s this interdisciplinary approach that drives many of the innovative research and service projects Renzi-Hammond leads.
Of these, she is best known for her work with the CARE Center, which she co-founded in 2020 with public health colleague Jenay Beer. The CARE initiative combines teaching and mentorship, engaged and innovative scholarship and service to bridge dementia and Alzheimer’s care gaps in rural Georgia and drive innovations in dementia treatment and support services.
Since its founding, the CARE Center has provided Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia diagnosis and post-diagnosis support to nearly 200 patients and their families and has expanded to serve 11 rural Georgia counties.
A staunch advocate of team science, Renzi-Hammond has led the College in engagement with University programs to strengthen her skills and relationships with faculty across campus. Most notably, she served in the second L2-IRT leading large teams cohort, as well as the inaugural Rural Engagement Working Group for Academic Faculty. In 2023, with her CARE Center teammates, she earned the Team Impact Award from the UGA Office of the Vice President for Research, which recognizes a team for excellence in innovative and impactful scholarship.
“Dr. Poon has always been known as an extraordinary collaborator and selfless mentor, and he did more to advance our understanding of longevity and healthy aging than almost anyone I can think of.” said Renzi-Hammond. “When I think of his work, I think of his joy in sharing science with others. I am personally indebted to the extraordinary collaborators and friends I am lucky enough to work with every day, who are as giving of their expertise and mentorship as Dr. Poon has always been. Receiving this honor is the highlight of my career.”
A triple Bulldog, Renzi-Hammond earned her bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Georgia.
– Lauren Baggett
Posted January 26, 2024.
