Chiara is technical officer in WHO’s Department of Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use, Headquarters, and technical focal point for child and adolescent mental health, neurodevelopmental conditions, cerebral palsy and neurodiversity.

Passionate about: i) understanding and testing approaches to enhance systems and environments for young people’s mental health, and ii) accelerating action and strengthening accountability for better health and well-being for persons with neurodevelopmental disorders, neurodivergences and cerebral palsy.

A child neuropsychiatrist by training, obtained an MPH at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a PhD at the Universita’ of Modena.

Her work focuses on development of normative guidance and implementation tools for child and adolescent brain and mental health and providing technical advice to regions and countries. 

She is WHO technical lead for the UNICEF WHO Joint Programme on mental health and psychosocial wellbeing and development of children and adolescents (2020-2030).

Prior to joining WHO Headquarters in 2010, she served the organization in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions.