Elisa Vinson Borah, Ph.D.,
Project Lead
Elisa V. Borah is an Associate Research Professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work’s Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health. In addition to serving as project lead for the VSN, she recently conducted an evaluation of the Texas Military Veteran Peer Network, with the Texas Department of State Health Services, and is co-chairing the Fourth Annual Military Social Work Conference at the University of Texas School of Social Work. Elisa is a member of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute’s Veterans Mental Health Task Force.
Elisa earned a Masters in Social Work from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, and a PhD in Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin. From 2010-2014, Elisa served as director of research at the Ft. Hood site of the STRONG STAR PTSD Research Consortium, a Department of Defense clinical trial research consortium, and as assistant professor within the Division of Behavioral Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Elisa has conducted research related to increasing access to evidence-based behavioral health treatments by examining methods for reducing stigma among service members, the role of military unit cohesion in PTSD treatment gains, and the roles of military organizational culture and behavioral health provider factors on effective implementation of evidence-based treatments for PTSD within military treatment settings.
Hannah O’Brien, MSSW
Program Manager
Hannah O’Brien is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin’s Steve Hicks School of Social Work Masters program. A native of Austin, Texas, she knew she needed to spread her wings in college, traveling to the east coast to attend American University in Washington, D.C. where she received her Bachelors in Law and Society. After earning her undergraduate degree, she held several positions working with children in schools, supporting offenders during reentry after incarceration, offering employment guidance for low income adults and helping support adult literacy.
Hannah then began her graduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin, planning for a career in non-profit management. During her time at the University, she fell in love with a Marine veteran and began immersing herself in the unique culture of the military, and it wasn’t long before she knew she wanted to make a career of serving veterans and their families. In addition to serving as the Program Manager for the VSN, Hannah has coordinated several programs for veteran couples and spouses through the University of Texas at Austin’s Institute for Military and Veteran Family Wellness.
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