Claire M. Whitney, MIA, LICSW, was awarded a Presidential Citation for her coordination of mental health programs for refugees and internally displaced persons uprooted by war in Syria and Iraq.
Whitney is an international clinical specialist in culturally appropriate, community-based mental health and psychosocial support services in humanitarian emergencies for populations impacted by war, conflict, human rights abuses and forced displacement. With a BA from New York University (with honors) in Psychology, and dual master's degrees from the School of Social Work and the School of International and Public Affairs, at Columbia University, she has extensive experience in the development and implementation of mental health and psychosocial support services with diverse and vulnerable populations in ongoing emergency contexts, working in multiple countries throughout the Middle East, as well as Greece, Nepal and Haiti emergency responses. Over the past three years, in positions with International Medical Corps (IMC), she has provided coordination, assessment, training and capacity-building for emergency mental health and psychosocial services for displaced Syrians and Iraqis in both camp and urban settings, and for refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants arriving in Greece by boat from Turkey. Currently, Whitney is IMC's Regional Mental Health and Psychosocial Advisor for the Middle East, based in Amman, Jordan, supporting programs in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Yemen.