Roei Shaul Hillel

Worked in: Israel, Nepal, Puerto Rico, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Degrees from: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Future plans: "Post-graduation I plan to work in the field of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in humanitarian emergencies, developing specialized services for children and adolescents who are survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)."

Roei Shaul Hillel is a passionate activist at the intersection between mental health, welfare and emergency aid. A licensed social worker focusing on mental health and sexual trauma, Roei is particularly interested in the provision and development of psychosocial services to children in humanitarian emergencies.

In the past decade, Roei has worked for a number of NGOs focusing on emergency aid, community building and child protection. He has been sent by Nyayik Sansar to provide support in the immediate aftermath of the 2015 Nepal earthquake where he was involved in designing and implementing psychosocial intervention programs, crisis management and youth support. He also served as the IsraAID Head of Mission to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017, where he led the development and implementation of the organization’s intervention plan, managed a team of trauma therapists and coordinated with FEMA and other international aid providers.

Roei has done extensive work with the LGBTQ+ community, serving on the board of several advocacy and support organizations. In the past two years, his primary focus has been the promotion of LGBTQ+-friendly mental health services, in addition to ongoing work with people from communities who are coping with Serious and Persistent Mental Illnesses (SPMI). In this capacity, he managed a national LGBTQ+ helpline through the Israeli LGBTQ+ Task Force and facilitated psychotherapeutic workshops through the Enosh Mental Health Association. Through advocacy, he also increased public support that led to the passing of a bill discussing the expansion and improvement of rehabilitation programs for survivors of human trafficking in Israel.

Roei is a BSW graduate from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is a United World College alum. He will be joining the Master of Social Work program at UNC starting fall 2020 and will focus on Child & Adolescent Mental Health.