Dr. Alison Schafer has 25 years’ experience in international humanitarian and development work across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Since 2019, she has led implementation of the World Health Organization’s Special Initiative for Mental Health, expanding access to services for 90 million more people. She previously co-created the WHO‑UNICEF EQUIP platform, contributed to global guidance and psychosocial interventions for delivery by non‑specialist providers, and spent 17 years with World Vision as their Global Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Technical Specialist. Living with anxiety strengthens Ali’s commitment to advancing mental health care to reach more people.