Dr. Lisa Ann Conti

Dr. Lisa Ann Conti

Dr. Lisa Ann Conti passed away November 6, 2020. Lisa lost her battle against cancer that she fiercely waged these past few years. Lisa was a respected veterinarian, scientist, leader, team builder and communicator. With degrees from the University of Miami (Chemistry/Math) and University of Florida (Veterinary Medicine), she started at the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in 1988, first with the AIDs surveillance section and then as a state veterinarian, where she fielded questions about pet ownership and the immunocompromised and developed guidance for patients to keep their pets. Lisa was invited to an International AIDS Conference where she heard one speaker from Africa state, "If the cure for AIDS right now is just clean water - I could not give that to my people." This prompted Lisa to earn a Master's in Public Health from the University of South Florida and to focus on environmental health. At FDOH, she was promoted to Division Director of Environmental Health. Lisa founded the Association of State and Territorial Health Officers' State Environmental Health Directors group to work on a myriad of public health issues. After 23 years at FDOH, Lisa went to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Lisa was the first Chief Science Officer (CSO) as well as Deputy Commissioner under Adam Putnam. Under Commissioner Nikki Fried, Lisa was CSO and Director of Strategic Initiatives, with interests in agricultural innovation to produce products with minimal environmental footprint. Lisa was prominent in the One Health movement that is focused on the interaction between humans, animals and the environment. As a One Health representative, she traveled widely, working with an international community devoted to the area of human-animal medicine. Lisa had written and co-authored numerous articles on One Health, public health, HIV/AIDS surveillance, vector-borne and zoonotic disease topics. Recognized nationally and internationally for her work, she received the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society Gold Head Cane Award, Florida Public Health Woman of the Year Award, and the American Veterinary Medical Association's Public Service Award. Lisa loved clinical medicine by working Saturdays at the Capital Circle Veterinary Hospital for almost 30 years. Lisa's selfless contributions to science and to those around her, personally and professionally are immeasurable. Lisa is survived by her husband of 31 years, Thomas Seal and their son, Dane Conti Seal and brother, Dan Conti and numerous loving family members. There will be a celebration of life at a later date. Lisa loved dragonflies. "They can remind us to take time to reconnect with our own strength, courage and happiness." In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to causes close to Lisa's heart.

•University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine One Health endowment: UFgive.to/LisaConti/

•National Public Radio: https://wfsu.org/support/

•Tallahassee Museum: tallahasseemuseum.org