Dr. Dakari Quimby is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry & the Behavioral Sciences at the Engemann Student Health Center at the University of Southern California. He earned his BA at Washington University in St. Louis and completed a PhD in clinical child psychology at Loyola University Chicago (LUC).

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Dr. Dakari aspires to dedicate his career to closing service gaps for youth and families facing social inequalities. He aims to empower communities and promote their healing through trainings, workshops, talks, and various forms of community building.

 

He has extensive work experiences designing, supervising, and disseminating trauma and resilience-based violence prevention interventions through community-based participatory approaches. For instance, Dr. Dakari served in a two-year fellowship through a grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention aimed at developing and researching a cross-age peer mentoring program. He has engaged in such activities as building partnerships with antiviolence organizations such as CeaseFire Englewood and providing trainings on trauma-informed frameworks to public school staff and students. These efforts in overseeing the transmission of culturally relevant interventions were recognized by LUC with their 2018 President’s Medallion, an award for outstanding scholarship, leadership, and service.  

 

Beyond community-based work experiences, Dr. Dakari has expertise in the clinical provision of trauma-informed, culturally responsive services. He completed advanced clinical psychology training positions at the University of Chicago Stress, Trauma and Resilience (U-STAR) Clinic and Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). Furthermore, he has specialized training in working with sexual and gender minority communities through such activities as co-leading process groups for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and working alongside the Center for Transyouth Health and Development (CTYHD).

 

Dr. Dakari has additionally cultivated skills in bridging different health discipline silos and making psychology focused information accessible to those outside the field. He has engaged in such projects as updating and developing National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) e-learning modules for individuals providing services to youth experiencing homelessness and delivering a SAMHSA NCTSI-Cat. II grant supported training on intergenerational trauma to community providers.