Ohemaa Poku, PhD, MPH

Dr. Ohemaa Poku is an Assistant Professor of Global Mental Health in Psychiatry and Director of Education and Training Initiatives for the Columbia-WHO Center for Global Mental Health at Columbia University, with expertise in global health, HIV research, and mental health disparities. With over a decade of experience, her work is centered on understanding and addressing the intersection of mental health, stigma, and health access in vulnerable populations. She is particularly passionate about improving care for adolescents and young adults impacted by HIV, mental health challenges, and social stigma.

Ohemaa has led innovative research projects across the U.S., Ghana, Botswana, and the Caribbean, where she bridges clinical insights with culturally relevant, evidence-based interventions. At Columbia, she secured a prestigious KL2 Career Development Award to investigate risk and resiliency factors for Black and Latinx youth in need of mental health and HIV care. Her expertise in psychometric assessment and qualitative research methods informs both her academic and consulting work, where she advises on program design, stigma reduction, and mental health frameworks for underserved communities.

Ohemaa’s international research has led to impactful partnerships with key stakeholders in academia, health systems, and local communities. She is currently the lead qualitative advisor on studies in Botswana and Kenya, using data-driven approaches to improve mental health care services for adolescents. Her leadership in co-developing community-driven, culturally tailored health interventions ensures that her work remains both academically rigorous and practically applicable in real-world settings.

Throughout her career, Ohemaa has demonstrated an exceptional ability to lead cross-disciplinary teams, secure research funding, and publish influential work on health equity and mental health interventions. Whether collaborating with policymakers, training research assistants, or guiding community advisory boards, Ohemaa’s commitment to addressing global health challenges shines through her thoughtful and actionable research.