Linda Norah Khakali is an early-career researcher specializing in mental health and substance use research. She currently serves as a Project Manager at Aga Khan University, where she leads research initiatives focusing on mental health among youth and healthcare workers. With over eight years of experience in research and project management, Linda has played a critical role in stakeholder engagement at global, national, and community levels, ensuring impactful and sustainable research outcomes.
She holds a Master of Arts in Sociology (Rural Sociology and Community Development) from the University of Nairobi, where her research explored lay perceptions and the social management of mental illness. Linda has extensive experience in coordinating large-scale research projects, including randomized controlled trials on smoking cessation and studies on climate change and mental health. Her expertise spans qualitative and quantitative research methods, grant writing, study coordination, and community engagement..
Linda has presented her research at international conferences, including the International AIDS Conference, World Psychiatric Association Epidemiology and Public health section, African Global Mental Health Institute conference, and has multiple peer-reviewed publications on mental health, community engagement, and digital health interventions. She is a member of research groups such as the Africa Global Mental Health Institute research working group and the World Mental Health Consortium International college survey qualitative working group meeting.
Committed to bridging research and practice, Linda aims to develop community-driven mental health frameworks that integrate digital health solutions.
