Claire Whitney, MIA, LICSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and humanitarian worker specialized in the assessment of and response to the mental health and psychosocial impacts of war, conflict, human rights abuses, forced displacement, and the refugee experience in challenging humanitarian contexts.
Ms. Whitney serves as International Medical Corps’ Senior Global Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Advisor. She has extensive experience in the development and implementation of mental health and psychosocial support services with diverse and vulnerable populations in ongoing emergency and post-conflict contexts. She has been working in the humanitarian field to support MHPSS initiatives across the globe for over 12 years, including in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, Turkey, Greece, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nepal, and Haiti. In her current role, she provides technical support and programmatic guidance for IMC teams implementing a variety of humanitarian MHPSS initiatives. She also represents IMC at the global interagency level, engaging in ongoing coordination, normative work and development of technical products, as well as advocacy efforts.
Ms. Whitney obtained Masters degrees from Columbia University, including an MSW at the School of Social Work (with a concentration in advanced clinical social work) and an MIA at the School of International and Public Affairs (with a concentration in international humanitarian affairs). She received her BA (with honors) in Psychology at New York University. She received the Presidential Award for her work in the international mental health field by the American Psychological Association (2016).