Dr. Leah James is a recognized expert in mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS), with extensive experience advancing programming across humanitarian, development, protection and health sectors. She has held leadership, technical advisory, clinical and research roles with United Nations agencies, international and U.S.-based NGOs and academic institutions, supporting populations affected by torture, conflict, displacement and other forms of adversity in diverse global contexts.

In recent years, Leah has served in senior MHPSS technical support and consulting roles with UNICEF’s Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, where she supported regional programming and the Ukraine emergency response, and with UNHCR Ireland, where she led initiatives to strengthen trauma-informed practice within the international protection accommodation system. Previously she held leadership roles at Heartland Alliance International, providing strategic direction and technical oversight for MHPSS and related programs across global operations. She has also worked with organizations such as International Medical Corps, the International Rescue Committee, and Seed Foundation and has lived and worked in varied settings such as the US, Hungary, Colombia, Ukraine, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Nepal, and Haiti. In addition, Leah worked previously as a psychotherapist/trainer for CVT in Amman, Jordan, and as an MHPSS training consultant in Beirut, Lebanon, in CVT’s Partners in Trauma Healing (PATH) program.

Leah’s clinical experience includes providing individual and group psychotherapy for diverse populations affected by trauma and adversity. She worked at the Veterans Administration in Ann Arbor, Michigan, specializing in posttraumatic stress disorder and support to survivors of military sexual trauma. She also co-facilitated group therapy at Huron Valley Women’s Prison for women who had experienced sexual violence while in prison.

Leah also brings a strong background in research and post-secondary level teaching, including as a research fellow at the Institute of Social Research at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Her academic publications span a broad range of mental health topics, many with focus on the development, implementation and evaluation of MHPSS interventions in humanitarian and development settings.

Leah holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology & Social Work from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she also earned a Master of Science in Psychology and a Master of Social Work in Interpersonal Practice and Mental Health. She is a licensed clinical social worker.