A collaboration

MHPSS Technical Advisor, Kelly McBride, MA, Licensed Professional Counselor. Kelly has lead the development, implementation and global roll out of the Integrated Model for Supervision. She continues to engage on the Supervision: The Missing Link project as a consultant.

Kelly has a clinical background in providing direct mental health and psychosocial support to those who have been impacted by adversity and humanitarian crisis, as well as training and supervision of those providing services across a variety of humanitarian emergency contexts.

Email: kelly@supervision-mhpss.org

Head of Operations, Mrs. Pia Tingsted Blum, B.Sc.Eng., Master Coach and the self-invented title ‘Mental Engineer’. Pia has vast experience in managing people, projects, programs and partnerships. She has worked in the humanitarian sector for 20 years with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and Danish Refugee Council.

Pia has lead numerous donor-funded projects related to MHPSS capacity building, research and development of tools and guidelines. She has proudly been leading the IMS project from it’s early start in 2019. Furthermore, Pia heads a comprehensive European MHPSS response (including supervision) for displaced people coming from Ukraine funded by EU.

Louise is the project administrator for the IMS and Roadmap project. She coordinated and administratively supports through a variety of tasks in collaboration with project manager and technical advisors.

Ahlem is a clinical psychologist and has 20 years background in providing direct MHPSS in humanitarian settings. Ahlem is the IFRC PS Centre technical advisor for the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). Ahlem is currently the focal point for community-based mental health care and the Thinking Healthy (TH) and the maternal and new-born child health contexts (MHCH). Ahlem speaks Arabic, English, French and Spanish. Ahlem joined the IMS team in January 2024. She is in charge of the French and Arabic Language Adaptation Committees and trainings.

Dr. Nadeen Abujaber is a postdoctoral research fellow on the Missing Link Project and is part of the research team based out of Trinity Centre for Global Health. Nadeen is also a paediatrician, with a specialization in Paediatric Hospital Medicine.

Nadeen received a BSc in Human Development and Psychological Services from Northwestern University, a Msc in Global Health at Trinity College Dublin, a MD at University of Florida College of Medicine and completed pediatric residency at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her career interests include medical education, quality improvement and global health.

Dr. Frédérique Vallières, BSc, MSc, PhD is an Associate Professor in Global Health and Psychology and the Director of the Trinity Centre for Global Health, where she also directs the PhD in Global Health (INDIGO). Dr. Vallières’ current research focuses on the application of Psychology to Global Health, with a focus on Global Mental Health, Mental Health System Strengthening, and Human Resources for Health.

Concerned with closing the research-to-practice gap prevalent within Global Health, Dr. Vallières prioritises working in close collaboration with civil society organisations and through multidisciplinary consortiums comprising European, sub-Saharan African, Asian, and Middle Eastern partners.

Shona Whitton is a Technical Advisor in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support at the IFRC Psychosocial Centre with a focus on MHPSS in emergencies. Shona supports the IMS Project in this function and is, among other things, responsible for conducting target group-oriented trainings.

Prior to joining the IFRC, Shona worked in emergency operations with Australian Red Cross for over 10 years. Most recently as National Lead for Recovery and Psychosocial Support responsible for the coordination and development of Australian Red Cross’ field disaster recovery operations and emergency MHPSS programs. Shona is a Churchill Fellow and holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) (Honours), a Masters in Community Development (Emergency Management), a Graduate Diploma of Psychology, a Graduate Certificate in Gender Mainstreaming Policy & Analysis, and an International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance.

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Cátia Matos has a clinical background providing direct and psychosocial support to humanitarian staff both local and in field missions, as well as training and individual and team supervisions. At the PS Centre, she is a Technical Advisor in the Integrated Model of Supervision project, as well as the focal point for the Americas Regions.

Before working in the PS Centre, Catia worked as a Clinical Psychologist and Regional Staff Counsellor, in Portugal and Sudan, for over 15 years. Catia has a Clinical Psychology Degree in Cognitive-Behavioural and Systemic Approaches, an Executive Master in Applied Positive Psychology, a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Relations, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Interdisciplinary Human Rights.

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Chad Zemp, MSc, is a Research Assistant at the Trinity Centre for Global Health. Having completed his MSc in Global Mental Health with Trinity College Dublin, Chad joined the IMS team in October 2023. His work is driven by a commitment to make a meaningful impact on the mental health outcomes of vulnerable populations. Specifically, Chad is interested in strengthening mental health systems in humanitarian contexts, using participatory and ethically grounded methodologies to better understand sustainability challenges amidst high levels of resource scarcity. Fluent in Spanish, before joining the IMS team, Chad taught English for 3 years in Ecuador.

Salam Jabbour is a PhD researcher at Trinity College Dublin, with a background in clinical psychology. Salam’s research focuses on community mental health, intervention development, and participatory approaches and she has a particular interest in liberation psychology and anti-colonialism