Meet Elizabeth Hall: Second Wave Rower, Financial Planner, and “Fun-Loving Perfectionist” Taking on 5,200+ Miles
Second Wave crew member Elizabeth Hall will tell you that relationships are her driving force — fueling everything from her career to her hobbies to the reason she’s rowing 5,200+ miles to raise funds for The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Elizabeth, a self-described “fun-loving perfectionist,” grew up in Monroe, Louisiana, and moved to Orlando 20 years ago, where she built a career in finance. Get to know Elizabeth, who brings heart, grit, and a deep personal commitment to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease.
Q: What brought you to the Great American Loop challenge and Human Powered Potential’s Second Wave team?
One of my rowing friends invited me to join this crazy escapade! I was so touched and happy to be asked. The women on this boat are an absolute joy, and relationships are almost always my “why” for everything I do. This row combines my love for activity, adventure, and travel all into one—with the huge bonus of raising funds to rid ourselves of Parkinson’s disease.
Getting to know the team at Human Powered Potential (HPP) and the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) has been amazing. The HPP team raised $43 million for MJFF during their 2024 Pacific row, and now they’re helping us embark on our own adventure on the same American Spirit boat that carried them across the Pacific. To me, HPP is all about what we are capable of achieving. It makes you ask: What can we accomplish if our will is truly behind it?
Q: What’s your personal connection to Parkinson’s disease?
My cousin is like a sister to me, and her dad passed away from Parkinson’s in February 2025 after living with the disease for about 10 years. My cousin served as his primary medical advocate throughout his illness. Watching her go through the emotional stress and exhaustion of taking care of him—especially in the final years as he really started deteriorating—was so tough. Whatever small help I gave my cousin didn’t come close to what she provided to her father. This mission is about ending a dreadful disease, both for the patients and for the loved ones who care for them.
Q: You’ve tackled plenty of physical endeavors over the years. What’s your connection to athletics and the hardest physical challenge you’ve ever done?
I played many sports in high school, including soccer, track, softball, and cheerleading, before discovering rowing at Rollins College. These days, when I’m not training for the upcoming Second Wave row, I keep in shape playing soccer and pickleball, taking the occasional ballet class, and indoor skiing (on a big inclined turf treadmill!). I just require monthly chiropractic visits, massages, and a bit healthier eating than when I was younger!
Hands down, the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done is a 2k rowing race when I was a freshman in college, competing in a novice event at the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia. To this day, whenever I’m having a hard day, I remind myself: I got through that hard row, and I can get through this day. I know this experience and attitude will carry me through the inevitable tough points while rowing the Great American Loop.
Rapid-Fire Questions
Q: Home comforts you’ll miss most on the row? My partner Peter, my bed, a flushable toilet, and my white noise machine to sleep!
Q: Favorite Michael J. Fox movie? It feels like cheating to say Back to the Future, but I will! I also loved Midnight Madness.
Q: Favorite way to unwind? Scrolling through Instagram watching cake and cookie icing videos, looking at dream houses, and browsing fall inspiration year-round.
Q: An annual tradition you never skip? Watching all three Lord of the Rings movies in succession every December.
