Dr. Kavita Avula is a licensed clinical psychologist and Certified Group Psychotherapist. At KonTerra since 2010, she played a key role in recruiting and vetting clinicians for the roster. As Senior Supervisory Psychologist, she provides supervision, training, and consultation to practitioners worldwide. She serves as a subject matter expert for the Operations team and consults widely to senior leaders of humanitarian organizations in the face of crisis or high stakes challenges. She has responded to critical incidents in Palestine, Afghanistan, India, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Ukraine. She was active during the #AidToo movement and has expertise in helping organizations respond sensitively to sexual assault.

In addition, Dr. Avula has led several in depth organizational reviews on staff wellbeing including for Kids in Need of Defense, Amnesty International, and CARE International. Most recently, she led a team that designed and delivered a peer support program for Human Rights Watch and continues to provide ongoing oversight on program implementation.

President of the Puget Sound Group Psychotherapy Network, she serves as faculty at the nationally recognized Washington School of Psychiatry’s National Group Psychotherapy Institute (NGPI). She presents widely on trauma, cultural competence, and racial justice.