2024 Blue KC Gamechanger Honoree Lisa O’Dell – month of September
Perfect Fit
When Lisa O’Dell goes to a sporting event, she always makes sure she gets there early. That way she won’t miss the national anthem. And when the franchise recognizes a veteran in the crowd for his or her service, O’Dell is always one of the first people to stand.
She loves honoring veterans.
She also has a long history of helping businesses and organizations operate efficiently. She has helped numerous businesses thrive in the ever-changing world of information technology, using the latest trends to become trend-setters, rather than simply reacting to the trends.
That makes her role with The Battle Within about as perfect a fit as there is. O’Dell is the director of operations for TBW, and it that role she makes sure everything the organization does runs smoothly.
Because of that, she will receive the September “Blue KC Gamechanger” award and will be honored at CPKC Stadium on September 7. Launched during the 2024 season, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) and the Kansas City Current have teamed up to create this exclusive program highlighting local individuals blazing the trail for all women across the Kansas City area. A Blue KC Gamechanger inspires bold ambition in all her work, enriching the community around them, and enacting positive change through intentional action.
When O’Dell was in the corporate world, she created systems and solutions to solve problems. She jokes that she “taught our company how to spell EDI (electronic data interchange).” In order to do business with large retailers, companies had to use EDI. She had to know a little bit about all aspects of the company to integrate into the management systems.
But in the non-profit world, you can’t be a “jack of all trades but master of none.” You almost have to be a master of all. “That’s why I love my role,” O’Dell said. “I am involved in all lines of the business: HR, accounting, programs, development, all of those things.”
She never served in the military, though her father did. But as a little girl during the latter stages of the Vietnam War, she had aunts and a teacher who had boyfriends serving in Vietnam. She remembers conversations with them where they shared their concern for their boyfriends.
“I saw Vietnam through the eyes of young women whose boyfriends were serving,” she said. “So from that point on, I have always loved our veterans.”
That led her to volunteer with The Battle Within when the organization first began. She got more and more involved as the months went on before assuming her current role about six months in.
O’Dell doesn’t like the limelight. She would much rather be behind the scenes helping things happen. She gets the most joy out of seeing the results of TBW’s efforts, like the revenant journey.
“You can be worn out, exhausted and burned out even, one more financial statement, one more board meeting,” she said. “On Monday, when our revenant journey program starts, you see these people, and they’re lost, they’re worn out, they’re tired. They can’t figure out all the traumas they’ve endured. They look hopeless.
“And then you come back on Friday, and you see joy, and you see light back in their eyes. It makes it all worthwhile.”
“Lisa is a great example of using her passion and skill for organizing and combining it with her love for veterans and first responders,” said Blue KC Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Christina Lively. “We are very proud of Lisa and we are excited to recognize her as our September Blue KC Gamechanger!”
Much like O’Dell herself, The Battle Within doesn’t care who gets the credit for the healing that takes place, as long as it happens.
“We didn’t heal them,” she said. “We gave them tools. We gave them understanding of what trauma does to our bodies and our brains.
“Whenever you find a resource that helps, use it. We want our veterans to know that The Battle Within is also here for them whenever they need us … all they have to do is reach out. We want them to be healed. We want them to have everything they need. We want them to have a better life.”
Thanks to gamechangers like Lisa O’Dell, that’s happening for a lot of veterans and first responders.
For more information about the “Blue KC Gamechanger” program, please click here.
Blue KC supports the Kansas City community through impactful sports partnership programs
Blue KC Gamechanger
