Lisa Hanson

Lisa Hanson is an Associate Professor and Head of Department of Rural Allied Health at the La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University. Her academic career at La Trobe University spans over 15 years, progressing from Lecturer (2009-2019) to Senior Lecturer (2019-2023) and currently Associate Professor (2023-present). She has held significant leadership roles including Head of Department of Rural Allied Health (2024-present), Head of Department of Rural Health Sciences (2022-2023), and Director of Learning and Teaching (2021).

Dr. Hanson earned her Ph.D. from La Trobe University, MBA from Charles Sturt University, Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honors) from Charles Sturt University, and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Learning from La Trobe University. Her educational background combines clinical expertise with business and educational leadership training, positioning her well for her current academic and administrative roles.

Lisa Hanson's research focuses on the role of exercise and physical activity for people living with cardiovascular disease in rural and regional communities, with particular attention to sustainable health services and models of care. Her work addresses critical gaps in rural healthcare delivery, examining how best to provide effective services to geographically isolated populations. She is also deeply involved in research on rural health workforce issues, including transition to practice programs for allied health professionals, workplace stressors, and desirable attributes in early-career physiotherapists. Her research aligns with Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health and Well Being), 4 (Quality Education), and 5 (Gender Equality).

An analysis of Dr. Hanson's extensive publication record reveals a strong focus on rural health challenges, particularly in cardiovascular rehabilitation, workforce development, and service delivery models. Her early work established her expertise in exercise testing for cardiac rehabilitation patients, with multiple highly-cited papers on the 10m incremental shuttle walk test. More recently, her research has expanded into mental health services, emergency care models, and interprofessional practice in rural settings, demonstrating her ability to address evolving healthcare challenges in regional communities.

• Her 2008 paper on workplace stressors for physiotherapists in regional hospitals has been cited 51 times
• Her 2016 paper on the 10m incremental shuttle walk test reliability has been cited 24 times
• Multiple publications have received attention from news outlets and social media
• Her research has been picked up by news outlets and widely shared on social media platforms

Dr. Hanson is actively involved in teaching, particularly focused on preparing physiotherapy students for practice in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy and chronic disease management. She is open to supervising Masters Research or PhD students, collaborating on industry projects, and providing mentoring. Her leadership roles demonstrate her commitment to advancing rural health education and practice. She collaborates extensively with colleagues including Rachael McAleer, Elena Wilson, Brett Gordon, Amanda Kenny, and Susan Furness across multiple research domains including rural health workforce development, cardiac rehabilitation, and emergency care models.