Our research team
Our HAT team comprises largely of mental health professions working with INSPIRE, Kenya, a Fogarty International Center and NIH funded study embedded in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Kenya with collaborations with Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi County, Ministry of Health and partnerships with UNICEF, WHO, and UNFPA on adolescent pregnancy and mental health issues.
Meet The Team
Shillah Mwaniga Mwavua
Shillah is a clinical psychologist with specialty in testing digital mental health interventions (IPT-G) for depression in adolescent and key population mental health and registered member CPAK. She is a senior HIV program manager, working in Starehe sub county-Nairobi metropolitan services. She’s the site coordinator for University of Washington Global Health program and has trained over 1000 HCWs.
She’s a study team member on the SUMMIT study titled 'Implementing and evaluating group interpersonal therapy for postnatal depression in Lebanon and Kenya' and NIHR funded study titled 'Implementing a Digital Adolescent Behavioral Health Screening, Literacy, and Low-Intensity Intervention for Common Adolescent Mental Health Problems in Kenya (mSELY)'.
She’s currently a doctoral researcher in the faculty of behaviour and movement science at the Vrije university – Amsterdam. She’s Psychology/Sociology graduate and did her MSc in Clinical Psychology from University of Nairobi.
Vincent Nyongesa
Vincent is a mental health researcher who worked for INSPIRE study that focused on implementing mental health interventions for pregnant adolescents, under the University of Nairobi.
He also coordinated MMAPS & Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) study embedded under INSPIRE. He is the current project officer for NIHR funded SUMMIT study titled ‘Implementing and evaluating group interpersonal therapy for postnatal depression in Lebanon and Kenya’. He has conducted multiple qualitative & quantitative data collection for different mental health-related studies from 2015 to date. In 2018 he gained interest working with adolescents during an IPT-G pilot study that involved vulnerable nursing adolescents as a research assistant where he gained knowledge on IPT. Has been involved in preparing IPT training materials in studies, trainings, and logistical supervision of IPT session delivery and assessments
Vincent holds a BSc. in Management of Agroecosystems and Environment from the University of Nairobi. Currently pursuing a master in Public health (Applied epidemiology) at Amref International University.
Obadia
Yator
He is a Clinical Psychologist (Maternal-Child Mental Health Researcher)
He holds a PhD holder in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nairobi in Kenya where his thesis focused in assessing feasibility of Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT-G) in reduction of depressive symptoms among postpartum adolescents living with HIV by utilizing trained and supervised community health promoters
He attended University of Nairobi for his first degree in Bachelor of Psychology (Counselling), MSc degree in Clinical Psychology, and PhD in Clinical Psychology at same university
Has interests for psychotherapy, psychological assessment & research in mental health issues of women, adolescents & children. He also enjoys working with populations living with HIV towards alleviating HIV-related stigma, depression, and associated psychosocial stressors. He is a certified Trainer of Trainee on Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) courtesy of March on Stress, United Kingdom (UK).
He is currently the Kenyan master IPT trainer & supervisor of NIHR funded SUMMIT study titled Implementing and evaluating group interpersonal therapy for postnatal depression in Lebanon and Kenya
He is a certified IPT Master Trainer, IPT Master Supervisor and IPT Therapist. Currently the President of IPT Sub-Saharan chapter
He is a full member of Clinical Psychologists Association of Kenya and an affiliate member of Kenya Psychiatric Association
His publications are available on: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Obadia+Yator
Maryann
Wanjiru
Our 22 year old youth leader, Maryann, is a passionate, confident, determined and optimistic person. She wants to reach out to as many adolescents as possible to assist them in promoting healthy behaviours. Her expectation for HAT is to ensure that most adolescent mothers and fathers are reached out with information on mental health. She likes reading, listening to music, spending time with friends.
Joseph Murithi Kathono
Joseph has over 10 years experience working with HIV/AIDS and key populations. He has special interest in mental health especially addiction, psychological trauma, children and adolescents and, IPT-G among others.
He’s a study team member on the SUMMIT study titled ‘Implementing and evaluating group interpersonal therapy for postnatal depression in Lebanon and Kenya’. He’s part of Unicef HAT initiative in Kenya.
He’s been working for NMS-Nairobi Metropolitan services (Ngara Methadone Rehabilitation Clinic) since 2016 and has previously worked for USAID projects in Kenya.
Joseph is a graduate in Psychology/Sociology and is pursuing his masters in Clinical Psychology from University of Nairobi.
Georgina Obonyo
Our youth leader, Georgina, is a passionate SRHR (sexual and reproductive health and rights) professional with a wealth of experience in youth work. She is currently the team lead for Our Voices Initiative, a community-based organization. She won an award from the African Union for her role in advancing women and girls’ rights in Africa. She is also a nominee of the 120 under 40 new generation of family planning leaders.
Manasi
Kumar
Manasi Kumar is an Affiliate Associate Professor at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, Kenya, & the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington Seattle, US, & University College London. She is also a Research Scientist, at New York University, Grossman School of Medicine. She was involved in NIH funded research on peripartum adolescents living with depression. She has wide experience mentoring lay, non-specialist, and specialist health workers in WHO’s mhGAP, as well as low intensity mental health interventions. She works on disparities in health systems in lower and middle-income countries with a focus on mental health systems strengthening and maternal, child, and adolescent mental health research.
Her publications are available on: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Manasi-Kumar-2
and on pubmed - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=manasi+kumar
Erica
Breuer
Dr Erica Breuer (PhD, MPH (Epidemiology), BAppSc Phty(Hons)) is a global health researcher with a specific interest and expertise in using Theory of Change to identify, develop and evaluate health and social care interventions. Dr Breuer has been involved in Theory of Change development across a broad range of social and health programmes including mental health, prisoner health, dementia, long term care, global surgery, palliative care, and child development across a rang of countries. She is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Newcastle, Australia.
Joy
Banerjee
A designer, and our Design Thinking mentor, Joy brings Design Thinking into problem-solving and innovation processes. His core interest is in solving 'wicked problems' like Environment, Food & Hunger, Mental Health, and Education. He mentors several global startups, social impact organisations, and government institutions. He is a Senior Fellow at the Livonics Institute of Integrated Learning and Research (LIILR). He was part of the team that won Top Visionary Award for Rockefeller Food Vision Prize 2050.
Joy studied design at the IDC School of Design, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and engineering at Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani.
Joanna
Lai
Joanna Lai, DrPH, MPH, MS Ed. is a health specialist with UNICEF Headquarters where she serves as the health section technical focal point for school, adolescent, and mental health. Her work is focused on supporting the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health and counseling programs and services for adolescents through schools, community platforms, and primary health care settings.
Ipsa
Banerjee
Ipsa is a Masters student at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, wherein she is specialising in Mobilities, Spaces, and Cities along with Global Health. Apart from helping the HAT program in developing the online presence, she worked on building the Food Systems Fellowship Programme that will train young professionals in the field of food system transformation and leadership in India.
She's a graduate in Economics from
St. Stephen's College, Delhi.
