Our Team

CEO, President

Alexandra Murray Harrison, MD, is Associate Professor of Psychiatry Part Time Harvard Medical School at the Cambridge Health Alliance, Training and Supervising Analyst at the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute in Adult and Child and Adolescent Psychoanalysis, and President and CEO of Supporting Child Caregivers, a nonprofit with the mission of supporting healthy child development by building capacity in child caregivers, especially in high-risk, low-resource populations throughout the world. Dr. Harrison developed a curriculum in perinatal mental health that she has taught in the U.S., North India, Pakistan, China, and ElSalvador, each time adapting it with local collaborators to fit the cultural context. She has presented widely both nationally and internationally and has received multiple awards in teaching and humanitarian activities. Her publications focus on developmental change in both psychodynamic psychotherapy and in typical development.

Treasurer

Officer

Myron Belfer, MD, MPA is a child and adolescent psychiatrist on the staff of Boston Children’s Hospital. He is a Professor of Psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School. His primary role at Boston Children’s Hospital was as Director of the Department of Psychiatry Consultation and Emergency Service and he served as Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Cambridge Hospital. Dr. Belfer served as Senior Adviser in the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse at the World Health Organization in Geneva from 2000 to 2005.  Dr. Belfer served as President of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions. In his various roles Dr. Belfer came to understand the critical importance of early childhood emotional development and the role played by mother child bonding a central concern of SCC.

Officer

Officer

Dr. Fulwiler is Chief of Psychiatry at CHA, Chair of the Harvard Medical School (HMS) Department of Psychiatry at CHA, and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at HMS. He leads the department’s clinical, teaching, and research areas. Since 2022, he has advanced strategic initiatives to improve clinical services, operations, training, and research

His public sector psychiatry career focuses on improving behavioral health outcomes for underserved populations by integrating novel clinical, population health, research, and training approaches. Dr. Fulwiler received his MD from Washington University and his PhD in neuroscience from Harvard, where he completed his psychiatry residency at McLean Hospital. An expert in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), he conducts professional teacher training through the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at CHA and HMS, building on his federally funded research in health services and mindfulness-based interventions.

Officer

Ginger Gregory has worked in Early Childhood Special Education since the 1980s and in Infant-Parent Mental Health since 2002. Her experience includes supporting infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children with special needs and their families through classroom teaching, home visiting, family support, and community-based programs.

Ginger has worked internationally with Supporting Child Caregivers, including in India, Peru, and El Salvador, where she has helped train nursing students and healthcare professionals in infant mental health and the use of the Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO) tool. She has been a member of Supporting Child Caregivers since 2017 and previously served as Secretary. Ginger currently supports SCC's research and the preparation of completed studies for submission to professional journals.

Her work is guided by a deep commitment to helping create a world in which all children are loved, supported, and cherished.

Officer

David Harrison is a former Managing Director and currently an Affiliated Consultant at NERA Economic Consulting. He has evaluated the economic effects of energy and environmental and other policies and programs as a consultant, academic, and government official. Before joining NERA, Dr. Harrison was an Associate Professor at Harvard’s Kennedy School and a Senior Economist at the President’s Council of Economic Advisors. He has a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University and has served on the Board of Trustees of the Cambridge Health Alliance and as a member of the Harvard Graduate Society Council.

Officer

Makiko was a senior economist at the World Bank before pivoting to her involvement in non-profit organizations. She served as Head of School of Sakura Academy, a Japanese preschool in greater DC and has sat on the board of organizations including Romanian Christian Enterprises, MOMCo Global, the Langley School, National Cathedral School, and McLean Presbyterial Church (Board of Women). Makiko received her PhD in Philosophy of Economics from the London School of Economics. She and her family live in McLean Virginia.

Officer

Officer

Dr. Mayén Laínez is a Salvadorean pediatric neonatologist currently working at the Instituto Salvadoreño del Seguro Social (ISSS) to impulse preventive programs in childhood through neonatal screening tools in the follow up and care of affected children. She supports Dr. Harrison in her lecture series on mental health for primary care physicians in ISSS. She has several trainings in neonatal and pediatric palliative care and grief.

Dr. Mayén Laínez is affiliated with the Instituto Salvadoreño Del Seguro Social, and is the Principal Investigator for the House of Life project in El Salvador. Her areas of expertise include pediatrics and neonatology.

Officer

Muhammad Zeshan, MD, is a board-certified child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist, educator, author, and global mental health advocate. He serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and has specialized training from Boston Children’s Hospital, UMass, and ZERO TO THREE.

A passionate advocate for children and families, Dr. Zeshan is also a children’s storybook author, with several published books through @ReadingwithDrZ, using storytelling to promote emotional wellness and healthy development. Through his global social media platform @ParentingwithDrZ, he reaches more than 400,000 followers worldwide, making evidence-based parenting and mental health education accessible to families across cultures.

As a Board Member of Supporting Child Caregivers (SCC) USA, he is committed to empowering caregivers, strengthening families, and creating healthier futures for children, believing that supporting a caregiver is an investment in generations to come.

Founder Director of House of Life Mama & Baby Shelter, SCC Collaborator

Bob’s Mom was a Court Clerk and his Dad was Chief of the Kenmore Fire Department. He grew up in Western New York in the Buffalo Niagara Falls area with his two sisters Patty and Susie and attended St. Andrew’s for eight years and Cardinal O’Hara HS for four years until he graduated in 1973. Bob then majored in Math at Jamestown Community College and SUNY Buffalo.

It was during Bob’s first trip to El Salvador in 1982 to meet Maricela’s family that he heard God calling him to help the children of El Salvador. Seeing the street children during the war begging for newspapers to cover up and sleep on the streets impacted him in such a way that Mi Casa was started seven years later in 1989.

House of Life Phase III Study Coder, Project Management, Coordination and Interpreter

Manuela is a communications and nonprofit professional with experience in strategic communications, fundraising, donor engagement, program coordination, and organizational development. In her role with Mi Casa International, she works across multiple areas of the organization, translating its mission into compelling communications while coordinating initiatives, partnerships, events, volunteers, donors, and mission teams. She also supports leadership and program development, helping turn ideas into organized, meaningful action. Her work is driven by a passion for purpose-centered organizations, thoughtful storytelling, and creating systems that help teams serve people with excellence, dignity, and care.

Ms. Bedoya holds a Bachelor in Business Administration, Concentration in Marketing and is currently working with SCC on Phase 3 of the House of Life study in El Salvador. Manuela also helps support nonprofit marketing and brand strategy, fundraising and donor engagement, program coordination, and organizational development.

Building Baby Brains Sub-Investigator & NCAST Coding

Victoria Trump Redd, MD, is an Outpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Cambridge Health Alliance and an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. She is from Portland, Oregon, and completed medical school at Oregon Health and Science University, Adult Psychiatry Residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Cambridge Health Alliance. Her professional interests include Latinx mental health, infant mental health, adolescent pregnancy, integration of qualitative research in psychiatry, and global health collaborations. Dr. Trump Redd has prior ethnographic research experience in Peru and South Africa.

Dr. Trump Redd works with SCC on Building Baby Brains El Salvador as a sub-investigator and an NCAST coder, as well as Building Baby Brains Pakistan as an NCAST coder.

House of Life Principal Investigator

Dr. Mayén Laínez is a Salvadorean pediatric neonatologist currently working at the Instituto Salvadoreño del Seguro Social (ISSS) to impulse preventive programs in childhood through neonatal screening tools in the follow up and care of affected children. She supports Dr. Harrison in her lecture series on mental health for primary care physicians in ISSS. She has several trainings in neonatal and pediatric palliative care and grief.

Dr. Mayén Laínez is affiliated with the Instituto Salvadoreño Del Seguro Social, and is the Principal Investigator for the House of Life project in El Salvador. Her areas of expertise include pediatrics and neonatology.

Build Baby Brains Organizer, Moderator, Trainer, Data Collector

As a qualified MD in Pediatric Medicine from the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, and an MRCPCH-certified pediatrician, Dr. Shazia Parveen offers over a decade of clinical, teaching, and community health experience. She is proficient in a full spectrum of pediatric procedures and holds specialized certification in Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO) from Boston Children's Hospital, notably serving as Pakistan's only certified NBO trainer. Dr. Parveen’s background combines strong clinical expertise with published research and grassroots leadership. Currently working with SCC under the supervision of Dr. Alexandra Harrison, she aims to leverage her research and program leadership skills within an academic or management-oriented pathway. She  is dedicated to further enhancing her expertise to drive meaningful impact in global child health and my local community.

Dr. Parveen is associated with the health and population department Punjab, and is working with SCC on both the Building Baby Brains project as well as the ongoing disaster and flood relief projects. She specialized in infant and child mental health, neonatology, developmental paediatrics, paediatric nutrition.

Building Baby Brains Project Coordinator / Data Manager

Manal Bhinder is a medical graduate with an interest in both clinical medicine and clinical research. She is particularly interested in mental health and the ways in which parental mental health can influence the well-being and development of children. Through her work with Supporting Child Caregivers, she contributes to the Building Baby Brains project, which focuses on maternal mental health, maternal well-being, and the mother-child relationship. In her role as Project Coordinator and Data Manager, she oversees data collection and data analysis while monitoring research activities aimed at better understanding and supporting the mental health needs of caregivers.

Building Baby Brains Translation & Breastfeeding Training

Samama Noor is a medical graduate from Nishtar Medical University in Pakistan and has completed all three USMLE Steps. Alongside her medical training and examinations, she has worked in an OB/GYN clinic, where she assists with prenatal care and supports women throughout pregnancy. Dr. Noor is also involved with Supporting Child Caregivers (SCC), where she contributes to projects focused on maternal and child health, including Building Baby Brains and breastfeeding education campaigns. Through this work, she is interested in improving health education and providing practical support to mothers, caregivers, and children, particularly in underserved communities.

Building Baby Brains Project Coordinator

Dr. Qasim Bashir is a Medical Doctor and graduate of Nishtar Medical University, Multan, Pakistan. He has an interest in healthcare, community-based initiatives, and improving health outcomes through data management and collaboration. As Project Coordinator for the Building Baby Brains – Supporting Child Caregivers project, he has contributed to data collection and digitalization, recruited and managed data transcription teams, supervised data quality, and facilitated training sessions for Lady Health Workers. Through this work, he brings clinical knowledge, organizational skills, and a commitment to supporting community-focused healthcare initiatives.

Building Baby Brains Sub-Investigator & NCAST Coding

Victoria Trump Redd, MD, is an Outpatient Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at Cambridge Health Alliance and an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. She is from Portland, Oregon, and completed medical school at Oregon Health and Science University, Adult Psychiatry Residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at Cambridge Health Alliance. Her professional interests include Latinx mental health, infant mental health, adolescent pregnancy, integration of qualitative research in psychiatry, and global health collaborations. Dr. Trump Redd has prior ethnographic research experience in Peru and South Africa.

Dr. Trump Redd works with SCC on Building Baby Brains El Salvador as a sub-investigator and an NCAST coder, as well as Building Baby Brains Pakistan as an NCAST coder.

Building Baby Brains Coordinator

Prajakta Sushil Patkar, MD (Psychiatry) has a Postdoctoral fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She is currently working as an Assistant professor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and serves as the General Secretary of the Bombay Psychiatric Society. Dr. Patkar has served as an Executive Committee member in the IACAM (Indian Association of Child and Adolescent Mental Health). 

Professional Title/Credentials: 

Assistant Professor in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Dr. Patkar is associated with the Topiwala National Medical College and Hospital in Mumbai where she is directly involved with teaching postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and is heavily invested in advancing In patient Child Psychiatry services.

Dr. Srajan Gupta, MBBS, is a medical graduate from S.V. Medical College, Tirupati, where he served as a Local Officer for the Indian branch of the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA). Originally from a small town in Haryana, he worked as a Junior Resident at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi.

Dr Gupta highlights his mentorship under Dr. Harrison as one of the most meaningful chapters of his career. His collaboration with SCC has allowed him to work directly with the community and get a genuine ground-level understanding of how preventive mental health interventions can make real differences when grassroots programs are built around the needs of a community. He attributes this opportunity as his catalyst for bringing this community-oriented work to the international stage in order to advocate for underserved populations whose voices are often left unheard.

Hanife Nur Akal, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Children’s National who focuses on early childhood and trauma. Dr. Akal has an assistant professor appointment at the George Washington University (GWU) in the Department of Pediatrics. She earned her medical degree from Erciyes University in Turkey and completed her psychiatry and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship training in the United States. She has extensive experience in treating various psychiatric conditions. In 2023, in collaboration with Dr. Alexandra Harrison, Dr. Akal authored a workbook for children and caregivers affected by earthquakes in Turkiye, which is currently under study by collaborators from Bilgi University, Turkiye.

Crisis Workbook Pakistan

As a qualified MD in Pediatric Medicine from the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, and an MRCPCH-certified pediatrician, Dr. Shazia Parveen offers over a decade of clinical, teaching, and community health experience. She is proficient in a full spectrum of pediatric procedures and holds specialized certification in Newborn Behavioral Observation (NBO) from Boston Children's Hospital, notably serving as Pakistan's only certified NBO trainer. Dr. Parveen’s background combines strong clinical expertise with published research and grassroots leadership. Currently working with SCC under the supervision of Dr. Alexandra Harrison, she aims to leverage her research and program leadership skills within an academic or management-oriented pathway. She  is dedicated to further enhancing her expertise to drive meaningful impact in global child health and my local community.

Dr. Parveen is associated with the health and population department Punjab, and is working with SCC on both the Building Baby Brains project as well as the ongoing disaster and flood relief projects. She specialized in infant and child mental health, neonatology, developmental paediatrics, paediatric nutrition.

YouTube and LinkedIn Specialist

Iyanu Shonukan is a junior at Harvard studying Neuroscience and Psychology on the pre-med track. He's interested in adversity's effects on child development and passionate about global and public health outcomes in underserved populations. At SCC he serves as a social media and clinical education intern, showcasing SCC's impact around the world, and adapting educational materials to be culturally competent and accessible for all audiences. He believes that children's health and caregiver well-being are intertwined and is extremely excited to bolster SCC's mission and worldwide impact. His favorite part about his role at SCC is receiving comments and reactions from viewers expressing how helpful our content and resources are for them.

Media Organization & El Salvador Project Support

Jaylyn is from Long Island, NY. She is a sophomore concentrating in neuroscience with a secondary in women, gender, and sexuality studies at Harvard College. Jaylyn is interested in mental health and advocacy, and she plans to go into the medical field.

Head of Administration

With decades of experience in curriculum design, instruction, and organizational training, Maria Bergamini brings deep operational oversight and administrative leadership to Supporting Child Caregivers (SCC). In her role as Head of Administration, she works in close partnership with the Executive Committee and Board of Directors to drive the strategic execution of SCC’s mission—ensuring organizational projects, initiatives, and operational frameworks continuously evolve to meet emerging goals.   Beyond her leadership at SCC, Maria manages continuing education programs for psychoanalytic institutes within the United States and teaches as an Original Hot Yoga instructor.