Shamaila Usmani is a Manager for the Nepal Qatar program within Humanity United’s Forced Labor & Human Trafficking portfolio.
Over the last 12 years, she has played various roles in the areas of global mental health, humanitarian relief and international development with the holistic intention of courageously working towards a more equitable and just world for all.
Shamaila is the former Executive Director of US-India Policy Institute (USIPI), a community-supported policy think-tank that envisions an India where underrepresented minority and marginalized communities have equitable access to freedom, justice, and opportunities without prejudice.
Prior to that, she was at Alight (formerly the American Refugee Committee), an international humanitarian NGO that works with transient (displaced) communities. During her time there, she spearheaded several strategic initiatives including community-centered programming in Bangladesh, Kenya, Rwanda, Pakistan and Ukraine and also forged value-based partnerships with diaspora communities in the US.
Shamaila started her professional journey at the Centre for Global Mental Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) as a researcher and network-builder. She traveled globally on behalf of the Mental Health Innovation Network, a knowledge exchange platform facilitated in partnership with WHO, advocating for systems-level change and multidisciplinary collaboration within global mental health.
Shamaila holds a master’s degree from Boston University and received her bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a focus on Peace, Governance and Justice from the University of Minnesota.
A second-generation Indian-American with a global spirit, Shamaila is fiercely committed to co-creating inclusive, intentional, and healing spaces that inspire wonder and abundance. In her spare time, you can find her embarking on soulful travel journeys, exploring independent coffee shops, or immersed in awe-inspiring fantasy novels.