Ayorkor Gaba, PsyD
Founder / Director
Dr. Ayorkor Gaba is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling & Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she directs the Behavioral Health Equity Advancement Lab (B-HEAL). She also serves as Co-Director of the Equity Division at the Massachusetts Center of Excellence for Specialty Courts, an initiative of the Massachusetts Trial Court focused on advancing innovative, evidence-based, and equitable practices in Specialty Courts and related systems.
A clinical psychologist, Dr. Gaba conducts community-engaged research at the intersection of behavioral health and the criminal legal system. Her work aims to improve access to and outcomes of treatment for substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions among system-impacted individuals. She also studies gender and culturally responsive adaptations to behavioral health interventions. Clinically, she is trained in family systems, cognitive-behavioral, and multicultural approaches. A former member of the American Psychological Association’s NGO team at the United Nations, Dr. Gaba brings a human rights and systems perspective to her work.
