Lisa Krantz, Ph.D., is a visual journalist and assistant professor at the University of Montana. Her research focuses on the intersection of journalism and trauma, particularly how journalists cover mass shootings, a topic she began exploring as a 2020 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University and an Ochberg Fellow with the Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma. 

After 24 years as a newspaper photographer, Lisa left daily news to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Missouri. The case study for her dissertation was the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where she explored the role of empathy and emotions with journalists who built trust and relationships for intimate, in-depth coverage beyond breaking news headlines. Her research includes the perspectives of victims' families, survivors, and community members who have been impacted by tragedies, and from journalists.

Lisa’s interest in the subject comes from personal experience as a photojournalist covering mass shootings in Texas. She spent years documenting the lives of survivors of a mass shooting at a rural church, which opened her eyes to the impact journalists have on those experiencing the tragedy. She returned to the church for The Washington Post to photograph survivors for the “American Icon” series about the AR-15 that was awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting. Lisa is also a two-time Pulitzer finalist in feature photography.