Lisa Edwards, MPH is an accomplished health systems researcher with 15 years of experience at the Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation and Policy (CSHIIP) within VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. Serving as the Project Director for the VA Health Systems Research (HSR) Women’s Health Research Network (WHRN) CORE, Lisa leads complex, multi-site qualitative evaluations and research initiatives that directly inform national VA policies and advance care delivery for women Veterans. Her leadership focuses on optimizing operational workflows, elevating research quality, and building resilient administrative infrastructure to support high-impact health services research.

All EMPH students conduct an applied consulting project which they start between the first and second year in the program, and then give final presentations at the end of fall quarter. For her consulting project, Lisa partnered with classmate Elías Rodriguez to evaluate the clinical and organizational value of integrating patient storytelling into care delivery within the VA of California. 

For the EMPH Sinaiko Business Plan Competition, Lisa partnered with classmate Eunice Ninet to develop AgriCare, an innovative occupational health initiative providing farm worker safety packs to protect agricultural laborers on the front lines.

During her time in the UCLA Executive MPH program, Lisa was recognized for her academic excellence, peer leadership, and dedication to public health. In 2025, she was inducted into the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health in recognition of her commitment to protecting and advancing population health. She was also chosen by her cohort peers as the recipient of the 2025 Ann G. Quealy Memorial Fellowship Endowment Award, an honor bestowed annually upon an EMPH student who demonstrates outstanding achievement, genuine concern for others, humor, and a passion for bringing out the best in those around them.