Dr. Jo Hannafin, Crew
BrownBears.com will feature one former male and female student-athlete who has gone on to achieve success in the workplace, as well as exhibit the spirit of Brown University within the community. The installments will provide highlights of the selectees’ athletic careers at Brown and offer a glimpse into their current career paths.Alumni Spotlight – Dr. Jo Hannafin M.D., Ph.D., ’77, P’12
A two-sport student-athlete at Brown, Dr. Jo Hannafin M.D., Ph.D., ’77, P’12, competed in both crew and swimming & diving (freshman year) in her time at College Hill. She is considered a founding mother of women’s crew at Brown and was the first Bear rower to compete internationally for a national team.
After a successful rowing career, Dr. Hannafin moved to New York for medical school where she was a member of just the third class to admit women at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Hannafin continued to row while she was earning her medical degree and doctorate. By the time she began her residency, Dr. Hannafin had an M.D., Ph.D., three gold medals from the U.S. National Rowing Championships and a silver medal in the 1984 World Rowing Championships.Â
Dr. Hannafin started her orthopedic career as the team physician for the U.S. Rowing Team in 1994, and continues to be on the staff today, along with being a member of the FISA Medical Commission, the governing body of rowing. As the U.S. Rowing Team Physician, Dr. Hannafin has traveled to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece and the 2003 Pan American Games in the Dominican Republic. She was an event physician at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and the New York City Marathon.
In addition to the U.S. Rowing Team Physician, Dr. Hannafin is the Head Team Physician for the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Dr. Hannafin was also a team physician for the WUSA New York Power from 2000-03 and an Assistant Team Physician to the New York Mets from 1992-96.Â
Dr. Hannafin served as the 42nd and first woman president of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) in 2013. She successfully completed her term as president and continues to serve as a member of the Board. She is currently the President of the Herodicus Society and the Chair of the Enduring Education and Research Committees. She was a member of the Board of the Orthopedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) from 2006-12. Dr. Hannafin has published over 90 papers in peer-reviewed journals and has written 20 book chapters.
Honored as one of The Best Doctors in America for the past 20 years, Dr. Hannafin is an Attending Orthopedic Surgeon and Director of the Women's Sports Medicine Center at Hospital for Special Surgery, where she was the first Clinician-Scientist. She is a Professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College.Â
Alumni and fans are encouraged to participate in the Alumni Spotlight nomination process by submitting nominees to athleticcommunication@brown.edu. Nominations should include: notable career achievements, current occupation, location, recent photos, and notable contributions to the community.
