Kathy Trang

Kathy Trang (she/her), PhD, is a Harvard School of Public Health research fellow. Her research focuses on understanding how post-traumatic stress impacts mental health and developmental outcomes within and across generations and how best to intervene in cross-cultural settings to improve well-being among high-risk populations in the United States, Vietnam, Peru, and Bangladesh. She is also committed to strengthening mental health research capacity in Southeast Asia. She is one of the co-founders of the Southeast Asian Mental Health Initiative, which brings together researchers, clinicians, and community leaders working in the field of mental health and psychosocial support. Her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the PHRMA Foundation, and the Foundation for Psychocultural Research, among others.

The Southeast Asian Mental Health Initiative (https://seamentalhealth.com/) seeks to transform mental health education and training in Southeast Asia and the Southeast Asian diaspora. The Initiative envisions a world where everyone can access high-quality, culturally appropriate mental healthcare and psychosocial support. All individuals have the resources and opportunities to actively engage in mental health research, program design, delivery, and advocacy. To achieve this, the Initiative aims to contribute to a solid scientific foundation for program and policy action that promotes evidence-based mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) practices in Southeast Asia. Since its launch in April 2022, the Initiative has made significant progress in building partnerships with international organizations (e.g., Save the Children Vietnam, Harvard University, Georgetown University), donors (e.g., Foundation for Psychocultural Research; Culture, Mind, Brain Network), and partner organizations (e.g., Hotline Ngay Mai, Vin University, EMDR Cambodia) to further its mission.