Meet Our Faculty
Our instructors bring decades of experience in psychology, psychiatry, and mental health education to provide you with the highest quality training.
Dr. Marc Hauser
Senior Research Scientist & Educator
Marc D. Hauser, PhD brings over 30 years of experience as an educator and research scientist, including national and international experience teaching both general and special education students from K-12, college undergraduates and graduates, and teachers, professors, and administrators. His scientific research, including over 300 published papers and seven books, has focused on how the brain evolves, develops, and is altered by damage and neurodevelopmental disorders, with an emphasis on the processes of learning and decision-making, as well as the impact of traumatic experiences on development. In addition, he has developed and implemented a number of quantitative methods, with a focus over the last 14 years on the creation and implementation of software tools and evidence-based assessment strategies to support data-driven decisions with vulnerable children, including those with trauma histories.
Hauser earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Bucknell University, a PhD from UCLA in the biological sciences, and Post-doctoral fellowships from the University of Michigan, Rockefeller University, and University of California-Davis. From 1992-2011, he was a Professor at Harvard University. In 2011, he founded the company Risk-Eraser, providing data-driven software solutions and consulting to programs focused on children with disabilities, including those with trauma histories and in prison systems. In 2023, he co-founded the non-profit International Children's Aid Network that focuses on bringing resources and evidence-based strategies to the millions of orphans living in Sub-Saharan Africa. His most recent book, Vulnerable Minds: The Harm of Childhood Trauma and the Hope of Resilience, was published on March 12, 2024 by Penguin-Random House Publishing.
Roopam Panchani
Occupational Psychologist & Lecturer
Roopam Panchani is an Occupational Psychologist and a lecturer in Psychology at USIU-Africa, where she has been teaching since 2015. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from USIU-Africa (Kenya) and a Master's in Occupational Psychology from the University of Nottingham (UK).
In addition to her academic role, Roopam has experience as a Human Capital Development consultant and Associate in the HR department. She is deeply passionate about creating employee-driven systems in the workplace that foster organizational efficiency. Roopam has facilitated motivational and team-building training focused on emotional well-being, relationships, and mental health in the workplace.
Roopam finds great fulfillment in teaching and inspiring students, helping young minds explore their passions and develop in the field of mental health.
Dr. Stacy Njani
Medical Doctor & Psychiatry Resident
Dr Stacy Njani is a Medical Doctor, Psychiatry resident and Course instructor at Shamiri Academy. They are undertaking their Masters of Medicine in Psychiatry and hold an undergraduate bachelor's degree in Medicine and Surgery from University of Nairobi. Dr Stacy has vast experience in clinical experience, working in various public and private hospitals across the country. They have held various leadership positions throughout their training facilitating continuing medical education (CME), training and workshops for interns and fellow healthcare workers.
Victoria Mwema
Clinical Psychologist
Victoria Mwema is a Clinical Psychologist, Course Instructor at Shamiri Academy, and Pillar Manager for Mental Health & Psychosocial Support at the eMsingi Project, Strathmore University. She holds an MA in Clinical Psychology from USIU-A and an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Egerton University, with additional training in Emotion-Focused Therapy. Victoria has taught mental health programs for various populations, including emotional wellbeing modules for teachers, psychological first aid for school administrators in Strathmore University's Liberia Project, and self-care for counselors at the Mindful Tide Project - Hopewell Counseling Firm. She has also consulted for the Brain and Mind Institute in reviewing and rewriting a Mental Health Ambassadorship curriculum, and for the ALIVE program on the development of contextualized life skills assessment tools for adolescents in the East Africa region.
Join Our Team
Are you passionate about mental health education and making a difference in Africa? We're always looking for talented instructors and researchers to join our team.