Lena Moraa Obara

Lena Moraa Obara earned her Ph.D. in Social Work from Rutgers University in 2025 and is currently a postdoctoral associate at Columbia University. Broadly, Lena’s research explores the intersections of gender-based violence (GBV), environmental stressors, and social vulnerabilities among refugee and marginalized women. Her dissertation, which examines coping strategies and support systems for gender-based violence among urban refugee women in Nairobi, Kenya: Insights across three migration phases, incorporates perspectives from both survivors of GBV and service providers to highlight strategies across three critical stages of migration.

Lena’s ongoing research explores how environmental stressors, especially extreme weather events, interact with structural inequalities to increase the risks of violence and adversely impact the health and well-being of refugee women in urban informal settlements and refugee camp settings. Her long-term goal is to create and assess community-led interventions that incorporate environmental and structural factors into GBV prevention and mental health services. Beyond her dissertation work, Lena has published on the connections between interpersonal violence, mental health, well-being, and the environment, mainly focusing on women in informal settings and vulnerable youth. Her work has appeared in leading journals across violence studies, environmental science, health, and psychology.

Lena is also an experienced educator and mentor, dedicated to integrating research, teaching, and community involvement to inform evidence-based practice and policy.