Building the Global Leadership Corps for Trauma-Informed Nations

Some clinicians treat trauma. Some scholars study war, conflict, or political violence. Few have attempted to build a unified scientific framework connecting psychiatry with the long-term psychological behavior of nations.

Dr. Luke Chike Igweobi is a board-certified psychiatric mental health clinician, collective trauma scholar, educator, author, Chancellor, and Professor of Population Resilience, Behavioral Health and Human Development at the International Truth & Trauma Institute (ITTI). His work stands at the intersection of psychiatry, neuroscience, public health, international relations, peacebuilding, and post-conflict governance.

Stephanie Saintil, RN, BSN, is an accomplished healthcare leader, registered nurse, and advocate for health equity whose career has been dedicated to strengthening healthcare quality, advancing inclusive leadership, and improving patient outcomes through systems-level innovation. As Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the International Truth & Trauma Institute (ITTI), she provides strategic governance and institutional oversight, helping guide the Institute's mission to advance research, education, policy, and international collaboration in collective trauma, truth-telling, and trauma-informed governance.

Throughout her professional career, Ms. Saintil has demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence in clinical practice, healthcare operations, regulatory compliance, and quality improvement. At Lemuel Shattuck Hospital, she has played an important leadership role in strengthening procedural standards, improving regulatory compliance, enhancing surgical safety initiatives, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across clinical teams. Her work reflects a deep understanding of patient-centered care, organizational accountability, and the importance of evidence-based systems capable of delivering safe, equitable, and high-quality healthcare.

Dr. Saeed A. Siddique, DNP, FNP-BC, is an accomplished Family Nurse Practitioner, clinician, humanitarian, and educator whose career has been dedicated to improving health outcomes among military veterans, migrant populations, and underserved communities. As a Director of the International Truth & Trauma Institute (ITTI), he brings extensive frontline experience in veteran healthcare, trauma-informed clinical practice, humanitarian service, and population health, supporting the Institute's mission to advance research, education, and policy on collective trauma, post-conflict recovery, migration, and human resilience.

Throughout his professional career, Dr. Siddique has served within Harvard-Medical-affiliated hospitals and within the VA Boston Healthcare System, where he has provided comprehensive primary and behavioral healthcare to United States military veterans living with the long-term consequences of military service. His clinical practice has included caring for veterans affected by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, traumatic brain injury, chronic medical conditions, and the complex physical and psychological effects of combat exposure. Working within one of the nation's leading veterans' healthcare systems, he has collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to deliver holistic, patient-centered care that recognizes the close relationship between physical health, psychological well-being, and long-term recovery.

Cynthia Mbamalu is a dedicated human rights, women's right and gender advocate, lawyer, and development practitioner. She has 19 years of extensive experience promoting democratic governance, youth and women's political inclusion, legislative and policy reforms, electoral integrity, and transformational leadership across Nigeria and the African continent. Her scholarly interest area includes the intersection of dysfunctional democratic processes, system of exclusion as major vectors of collective trauma impacting inclusive development and destabilizing democratic systems.

A lawyer by profession who earned her Master of Laws (LLM) in Comparative Constitutional Law from Central European University (CEU), she co-founded Yiaga Africa and serves as its Director of Programs. In this executive leadership role, she guides strategic visioning, program management, and bold on-the-ground initiatives focused on advancing democratic practice, social movements, gender equality, and electoral accountability.