She is involved with psychological trauma for more than 20 years now; since she worked voluntarily as search&rescuer, interpreter and MHPSS in the post-impact phase of the Marmara Earthquake (Turkey; 1999). This led to her commitment as coordinator of the psychological trauma and disaster psychiatry unit of the Psychiatric Association of Turkey. She participated in both the planning and implementation of several psychosocial interventions related to natural- and man-made disasters in Turkey and abroad. She worked with IOM and is currently leading conferences/workshops for the provision of psychosocial support to expat organisations (Embassies, EU, etc.) after the terror attacks and failed coup that impacted Turkey in 2016. She has been presenting and chairing in different scientific settings, has acted as Board member in several NGOs; has co-authored a number of publications. She is ISHHR Board Member since 2018; Secretary General since 2017.

In addition to books and articles on the meaning of culture for vulnerable populations and refugees’ experience of psychiatric treatment, she has published Post Traumatic Survival: The lessons of Cambodian Resilience (2013) and the anthology Nordic Work with Traumatised Refugees: Do We Really Care (2014). 

Later she worked as a consultant in the area of migration, health and human rights. She was coordinator of the advisory group on ‘the health situation of refugees and victims of organized violence’, established by WHO/Euro (1988 – 1996), and President of the International Association for the Study of Forced Migration (1999 – 2003). At a national level she was, amongst others, member of the Advisory Committee on Migration Affairs, member of the Board of Defence for Children-NL, and Chairwoman of the Johannes Wier Foundation for Health and Human Rights.

She has written numerous articles, chapters and reports about the (mental) health problems of refugees and victims of organized violence, including children and youngsters, and related issues. Her thesis (1992) concerned the psychosocial problems of refugees and asylum seekers in the Netherlands.

Together with, particularly Latin-American, colleagues she established the International Society for Health and Human Rights.

Prior to returning to Australia 3 years ago, Shaun was employed with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in managing community services, child protection, education in emergencies and refugee resettlement in conflict and post conflict areas worldwide. Between 2007 and 2014 he served in Regional office in Beijing covering the People’s Republic of China, Mongolia and Hong Kong, The war in Northern Mali on the border with Burkina Faso, Nepal, the Bangladesh and Myanmar border during the Rohingya crisis, and the Great Lakes operation with refugees from Eastern DRC in Burundi.

Shaun holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology coupled with postgraduate qualifications in Conflict, International Development and Immigration Law.

Tatjana holds an MA in Social Policy, and works primarily as a special educator and rehabilitator. In addition to this, Tatjana is an activist and expert in social protection and inclusive development. Tatjana is an expert trainer and consultant in the field of NGO management, project cycle management, minority rights and social inclusion of marginalized groups of people. Her fields of special interest in child rights, women rights, and Roma rights.

Vesna is a P.E.A.T Method & Laughter Yoga Therapist, who has worked as a psychologist in a private practice with children with developmental disabilities and autism. She has also worked in an elementary school, where she designed and implemented numerous psychological workshops, and practiced Laughter Yoga therapy. Moreover, Vesna has delivered seminars, and contributed scholarly material to the field of psychology in Montenegro. Vesna currently works in a counseling center with specialized treatment and assistance to gambling addicted persons and members of their families.

Vesna is a delegate of the Montenegrin Association for Transaction Analysis (MONTA). 

Rolf teaches students of physiotherapy and medicine at the local university college and university about refugees, global health issues and more specifically about consequences of torture, as well as refugees resettled in the area about health and lifestyle.  He is a trained group leader of ICDP (International Child Development Program, minority version), and has ran dialogue-based programs for groups of refugee parents. Furthermore, Rolf continues to facilitate groups of TRT (Teaching Recovery Techniques) for selected groups of refugees.

Rolf is a member of Amnesty International, the Chechen-Norwegian Friendship Association, the local Latin American Group, and other NGOs. 

Sopio is a board member of Human Rights House Tbilisi, which runs a free legal aid center for vulnerable people in Georgia, and she is also member of the Georgian Society of Psychotrauma. Finally, Sopio is also a director of  the Georgian Association for Body Psychotherapy, as well as a member of EABP. 

Last year she was working as a health care coordinator in one of the largest transitory asylum camps in Norway. She and her colleague implemented a self-help group based on the TRT manual (Teaching Recovery Techniques) at the transitory camp.

Sofía’s educational background includes a professional degree in Psychology, with a Major in Social Psychology from the Catholic University Luis Amigó in Medellín, Colombia. She also holds a Diploma in Human Rights and the Rights of Children, and has specialized in Social Psychology through various courses at La Escuela de Psicología Social del Sur in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Currently, she is studying for a Master’s Degree in Development Psychology at the University of Oslo, Norway. 

Vincent has a passion in community development work and psychological work with children and women; he strongly believes in promoting psychological well-being, and advancing social wellbeing.

Vincent holds a Postgraduate Diploma in project planning and management from Gulu University, a Bachelor of Arts with Education from Makerere University, a Certificate in Celebrating Children from CaRnAc a Viva network, and a Certificate in Trauma Counselling. 

He has delivered training sessions about psychotherapy for trauma at the Asociación Española de Psicología Clínica Cognitiva Conductual (AEPCCC), and delivered a seminar on migration in Madrid for students of the University of Washington.

He also works as a journalist collaborator at El País and Contexto ( ctxt.es ) and he was a founder of La voz de Salamanca. Javier primarily writes about human rights issues.

In September 2017, he joined the Council of ISHHR during the Novi Sad Conference.

Dr. Droždek publishes in the field of psychotraumatology and transcultural psychiatry, and teaches and gives training and workshops on a regular basis in the Netherlands and abroad. Together with John P. Wilson he has edited the books Broken Spirits: The Treatment of Traumatized Asylum Seekers and Refugees, War and Torture Victims (Brunner-Routledge, New York, 2004), and Voices of Trauma: Treating Survivors across Cultures (Springer, New York, 2007). He was a board member of the NtVP (The Dutch Psychotrauma Society), and the IRCT (International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims) Executive Committee member, and is currently a board member of the ISHHR (International Society for Health and Human Rights).

He is responsible for the quality and supervision of STARTTS’ clinical services, which are provided across NSW. He has on different capacities conducted and participated in several successful projects on psychosocial and mental health issues affecting refugees. He has overseen the implementation of a computer assisted clinical assessment platform in a number of different languages that can be used with all clients, including those with low literacy skills.

Mariano is currently involved in a number of national and international research projects related to best and innovative practice in refugee trauma treatment. He has represented STARTTS on many forums and conferences nationally and internationally, and is the co-author of a number of journal articles and book chapters on issues related to refugee trauma. Mariano served as ISHHR Secretary General between 2011-2017.

His work has focused on children and their parents/caregivers, in different settings, in the UK, Zambia and Norway. Patrick helped the Zambian Ministry of Education develop support for school’s special education systems and introduced the first Portage Guide project for children with disabilities in Zambia 1993 – 1995. Together with former colleague and fellow ISHHR board member, Rolf Vårdal, Patrick cooperated with Paz y Esperanza, Ayacucho, Peru, as a result of contacts established at ISHHR’s conference in Lima in 2008.

Patrick has worked for The Resource Centre on Violence, Traumatic Stress and Suicide Prevention in Western Norway (RVTS Vest) since 2006. He supports services working with refugees, offering consultation, supervision and training. The main focus is helping services develop more culturally appropriate, trauma sensitive approaches. Recently he has been learning to use Bruce Perry and the Child Trauma Academy’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) assessment system.     Patrick trains facilitators who run groups for parents in the International Child Development Programme (ICDP) in Norway and Botswana and has helped support this work in Tanzania. He is currently helping Save the Children evaluate their Child Sensitivity and Protection Projects, including the use of ICDP, in Somaliland, India and Nepal.

Moreover, Ersin has delivered lectures about facilitating clinical assessments at Bilgi University in İstanbul, and is the author of multiple published works.