Omar Bah, MPH, Master’s in Counseling Psychology, Founder and Executive Director of the Refugee Dream Center (RDC)
He is a torture survivor, former journalist, and refugee from The Gambia. He is also the author of the book, Africa’s Hell on Earth: The Ordeal of an African Journalist (2014); and the recipient of “Rhode Islander of the Year 2015” award from Rhode Island Monthly Magazine. He is a founding member of the Refugee Congress in Washington, D.C.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in communications studies with a minor in political science; Master’s degree in Public Administration; and a Master's in Counseling Psychology in Global Mental Health from William James College (WJC), where he is also obtaining a doctorate in Organizational & Leadership Psychology, in the Neuroscience area of emphasis in August 2020. He has completed trauma treatment certification at the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma (HPRT). Additionally, he teaches psychology at WJC and the HPRT. He is a member of the Global Advisory Board of the Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies at the Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs of Brown University, and he is currently a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation culture of health leadership fellow.
Omar mentors about 50 refugee youth in leadership and community building each year at RDC. His center serves more than 500 refugee individuals in case management and English learning and reaches hundreds more families in health promotion activities. He has developed training material for trauma informed care, & cultural intelligence in working with migrant and refugee cultural populations as well as survivor-leadership which he has delivered across the country.
