10 Interesting Facts About Lisa Hanna - Jamaican Beauty and Brains

by Deon Clarke | Associate Writer

Lisa Hanna is no doubt a very popular and well-loved Jamaican and you’ll soon see why. She is a true culmination of beauty and brains. But who exactly is Lisa Hanna? By her own admission, she is a complex woman. However, she is also a proud mother and a dedicated and people-driven politician. She is often described as a multi-faceted, multi-layered, and multi-talented woman. She is service-driven with a passion to do all she can to improve the lives of Jamaicans. To learn some more about her, let’s take a look at 10 interesting facts about her:

1. Lisa was born on August 20, 1975, in Retreat, St. Mary to father Rene Hanna (of Lebanese descent) and Dorothy Hosang (of African and Chinese descent). She was named Lisa Rene Hanna.
   
   
2. In 1993, Lisa Hanna represented Jamaica in the “Miss World” beauty pageant where she won and became the third Jamaican to win this title, bringing joy to the hearts of Jamaicans.
   
   
3. In 1998, Hanna became an actress in the romantic comedy How Stella Got Her Groove Back.
   
   
4. In 1999, Lisa Hanna married David Panton in New York City and the union resulted in a lovely son in 2001. They got divorced in Atlanta in 2004.
   
   
5. Hanna was interested in broadcasting and in 2003, she hosted Our Voices, a Jamaican talk show. She was also a guest presenter on Xtra in the United States.
   
   
6. In 2004, she returned to Jamaica, where she became the Communications Consultant for the Hilton Hotel, located in New Kingston.
   
   
7. In the 2007 general elections, she contested and won the seat for St. Ann, South East as a member of the People’s National Party (PNP). As a result, she became the Member of Parliament for the constituency. Lisa Hanna became the youngest woman to be elected in the Jamaican Parliament.
   
   
8. While performing her duties as a constituency representative, her political career also saw her becoming the opposition spokesperson on information, Youth and Culture up to December 2011 and on December 29, 2011, when the PNP was elected to power, she subsequently became the Minister of Youth and Culture.
   
   
9. In 2017, Lisa remarried, this time to Richard Lake, a Jamaican businessman in St. Andrew. Together, they operate Lydford Logistics, a contract manufacturing, commercial warehouse and shipping company in Moneague, St. Ann.
   
   
10. On November 7, 2020, Lisa lost the challenge for leadership of the PNP to Mark Golding in her bid to become the 6th president party. She had served as the treasurer of the PNP and resigned at the end of November 2020 after losing the leadership battle. She currently serves as the Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
    

Due to her accomplishments, she is seen by many as an “influencer” not just in Jamaica but across the region. However, she sees herself as part of a collective mechanism trying to bring about positive change while accepting that she is someone that many look towards for guidance, support, and inspiration. She is a true inspiration to many individuals especially young women.

She admittedly suffered numerous personal traumas, even as a child (dealing with family racism), but believes that they have made her resilient and that resilience, coupled with self-awareness and internal strength as a result of struggle and trauma has served her well in the later years of her life.

Lisa Hanna, in my opinion, is a true gem of Jamaica – resilient, smart and beautiful!

I also recommend you read, Which Jamaican won Miss Universe?.

Regards,
DC

References:

• Lisa Hanna, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Hanna
  
• Lisa Hanna to Caribbean women: Step forward, amplify your voices, Loop Jamaica https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/lisa-hanna-caribbean-women-step-forward-amplify-your-voices-0
  
• In Conversation With… Hon. Lisa Hanna MP - Virtual Island Summit 2021, Island Innovation, https://islandinnovation.co/webinar/in-conversation-with-hon-lisa-hanna-mp/
  
• Lisa Hanna steps down as PNP treasurer, Loop Jamaica, https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/lisa-hanna-steps-down-pnp-treasurer
  

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