Lisa Faye Crites has built a career defined by clarity, purpose, and an uncommon ability to turn lived experience into practical solutions. Known today as the inventor of The SHOWER SHIRT™, a patented garment designed to protect surgical drains during recovery, Crites brings the discipline of medical journalism into the world of medical innovation. Her work reflects a professional life shaped by storytelling, problem-solving, and a deep understanding of how thoughtful design can restore dignity during vulnerable moments.
Crites began her career in journalism, where accuracy and trust are essential. She worked as a health and medical reporter and anchor for a range of respected media outlets, including Central Florida News 13 in Orlando, America’s Health Network, now part of Discovery Health, PBS, WKMG Local 6, CNTV, NADA TV, and the Travel Channel. In these roles, she covered complex topics for wide audiences, translating both medical and business information into language that viewers could understand and rely on. Her reporting experience placed her at the intersection of healthcare, public education, and human impact, a perspective that would later shape her work as an inventor.
In addition to her on-air roles, Crites served as a media coach with Gannett, helping professionals refine their communication skills and present information with confidence and credibility. This background strengthened her understanding of audience needs and reinforced the importance of clear, effective messaging. Journalism taught her how to listen carefully, ask the right questions, and identify gaps between what exists and what people truly need.
That skill became deeply personal in 2009, when Crites underwent a double mastectomy. During her recovery, she faced a challenge that many patients encounter, but few discuss openly. Surgical drains, essential for healing, were difficult to manage during everyday activities such as showering. Existing options were uncomfortable, impractical, or nonexistent. Drawing on her instinct to observe problems closely and search for workable solutions, Crites began designing a garment that could protect surgical drains from water exposure while allowing patients to shower safely and independently.
The result was The SHOWER SHIRT™, a water-resistant garment created specifically for post-surgical care. Designed to be easy to use and comfortable to wear, it addressed a real and often overlooked need in recovery. Crites secured U.S. Patent No. 8,516,613 for the garment’s design and method of use, formalizing her transition from journalist to inventor. The product was later classified by the Food and Drug Administration as a Class I medical device, reflecting its role as a low risk but highly practical healthcare solution. Today, The SHOWER SHIRT™ is available through a range of retail and medical supply platforms, reaching patients and caregivers around the world.
Crites approached invention with the same rigor she once applied to reporting. She researched patient needs, consulted medical professionals, and refined the design based on real-world use. Rather than focusing on novelty, she focused on function. The success of The SHOWER SHIRT™ lies in its simplicity and qualities rooted in Crites’s background as a health journalist who understood both the science of recovery and the emotional experience of patients.
Her work also expanded beyond product development into public policy. Crites was responsible for the bipartisan legislative filing of the Post Mastectomy Infection Reduction Act, sponsored by United States Congressman Bill Posey of Florida and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida. The legislation addressed critical gaps in post-surgical care and reflected her ability to translate patient experience into actionable healthcare reform, bridging innovation, advocacy, and lawmaking.
Recognition soon followed. In 2015, Crites was named a winner in the national InnovateHER Challenge, a competition sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Washington Post, and Microsoft. The award recognized products that empower women and improve quality of life, placing The SHOWER SHIRT™ among leading innovations with social impact. This award led her to travel with the U.S. State Department to Singapore to present at the annual meeting of the WE-APEC network, an Asia-Pacific initiative designed to connect women entrepreneurs across the 21 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) economies. That same year, she received the Patient Innovation Award from the University of Portugal, further affirming the global relevance of her work.
The SHOWER SHIRT™ entered the international spotlight when it was featured in the London Science Museum’s innovation exhibit, which toured several European countries. This inclusion highlighted the garment not only as a medical device but also as an example of human-centered design. Crites was later invited to present at the World Government Summit in Dubai, where global leaders and innovators convene to explore solutions at the intersection of technology, policy, and social good.
Her engagement with innovation ecosystems aligns with broader global initiatives that promote technology for development. The United Nations and its affiliated organizations have long supported innovation-driven solutions through partnerships with technology hubs, academic institutions, and inventor networks. Organizations connected to the UN, including the World Intellectual Property Organization, support international inventor festivals and global knowledge exchange.
Within this context, Crites received a Silver Award at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival, an event supported by the United Inventors Association and the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations, a recognized partner of the World Intellectual Property Organization. The festival connects inventors from around the world and reinforces the role of intellectual property and practical design in addressing global challenges. She also received an ARCA award from the Croatian Union of Innovators. In 2024, Crites was nominated for induction into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, recognizing her lasting contributions to patient-centered healthcare innovation.
Education and knowledge sharing remain central to her work. Crites regularly gives guest lectures at colleges and universities across the United States on social entrepreneurship, patient innovation, and translating lived experience into scalable solutions. Her work has been the subject of multiple academic theses examining patient-led innovation and social entrepreneurship. She has also presented nationally on patent innovation strategies for the United States Patent and Trademark Office, contributing her expertise to discussions on intellectual property and inventor education.
Her influence is further documented in academic literature. Crites is featured on pages 37 through 41 of the book Patient Innovation, produced by a team of European professors. The book explores global patient-driven innovation programs that are now implemented across multiple countries and embedded within university-based research and entrepreneurship initiatives.
Crites earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Murray State University in Kentucky. She later completed an MBA and a Master’s degree in Digital Marketing and e-commerce from the European Business School in Barcelona. This advanced education supported her transition into entrepreneurship and global product development, equipping her with the skills needed to navigate manufacturing, intellectual property, marketing, and international distribution.
Beyond her professional achievements, Crites has demonstrated a sustained commitment to community service. She has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, Digital Arts for Autism, National Breast Friends Advisory Member, Driven By Heart, Space Coast Early Steps, and the Women’s Business Center Advisory Board at the academically recognized Florida Institute of Technology. Her volunteer work with organizations such as the Central Florida Second Harvest Food Bank and the Central Florida Homeless Coalition reflects a broader dedication to service and social responsibility.
Lisa Faye Crites’s career stands as an example of how professional experience, personal resilience, and thoughtful design can converge to create meaningful change. From the newsroom to the patent office, and from legislative chambers to international innovation forums, her path has been guided by a journalist’s eye for detail and a clear understanding of human need. Through The SHOWER SHIRT™ and her continued advocacy, Crites has shown that innovation does not always begin in laboratories or boardrooms. Sometimes, it begins with listening, observing, and deciding that a better solution must exist.
