51²Ö¿â

Distinguished Alum Saima Wazed

Education, Leadership and Human Development

Sep 12, 2023

Education, Leadership and Human Development 51²Ö¿â Distinguished Alum Saima Wazed aims to revamp Bangladesh’s approach to mental health and disabilities.

Saima Wazed is currently in the running as a candidate for position as World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Director. A three time Barry alum, licensed school psychologist, clinical adjunct and current doctoral candidate her approach will extend beyond the health sector to build multidisciplinary/multi-stakeholder partnerships, enriched by research and academic excellence.

For over 20 years Ms. Wazed has been a passionate champion and advocate for individuals with Autism and NDD’s serving in multiple leadership and advisory roles throughout South-East Asia and on the international landscape. She has served as Advisor to the Director General of WHO on Mental Health and Autism since 2019, and is a member of WHO’s Expert Advisory Panel on Mental Health since 2014. In August, 2023, she was appointed as an Associate Fellow at the Global Health Program at Chatham House, where she has also been serving since 2022 as a Commissioner at the Commission for Universal Health. Since 2020, she has served as Thematic Ambassador for Vulnerability for the Climate Vulnerable Forum, and from 2017 to 2019 was appointed as WHO SEARO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Autism. In Bangladesh, she is Chief Advisor for the National Mental Health Strategic Plan 2020-2025, and since 2012 has been Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism and NDD’s.

Ms. Wazed is a doctoral candidate in the EdD in Organizational Leadership, specialization in Human Resource Development.

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