Leah James, PhD, MSW, is the Regional Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Specialist in the Child Protection section at the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office, based in Budapest. She has a PhD in social psychology and social work from the University of Michigan and is a licensed clinical social worker.
Leah has more than 15 years of experience providing MHPSS technical support in INGO and UN agency roles in both humanitarian and development settings, including Ukraine, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Colombia, Nepal, and Haiti.
Leah also holds a research associate appointment at the Institute of Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado and has extensive experience conducting intervention research focused on MHPSS in emergency settings.