Annahita Mahdavi immigrated from Iran in 1985 and resided in Turkey as a UN refugee until 1988 when she was granted a residency for Sweden. After staying in Sweden for two years, she came to the United States in 1990, where she was granted political asylum in the United States as well.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Human Development from Vanguard University in 2007 and her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (Marriage and Family Therapy) from Pepperdine University in 2010. During her graduate studies, she was awarded the 2010 California Stipend for her work integrating advocacy into diverse clinical and academic settings. In 2018, she completed her Ph.D. in International Psychology, with an emphasis in Global Trauma Services, at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her dissertation focused on the factors of acculturation and adaptions elements of refugee Dr. Mahdavi West is currently a Professor in the Allied Health Department at Long Beach City College.

“Whatever you do in life, make sure it has a purpose in serving others, especially the “least of these”, for me, that is achieving the ultimate joy in life” - Dr. Annahita Mahdavi.

Since 2009, she has worked as both a clinician and educator in the fields of clinical and international psychology, with extensive experience serving Middle Eastern refugee communities. A passionate advocate for social justice, her work focuses on issues affecting refugees, women, identity, trauma, and political violence, as well as communities of color, LGBTQ individuals, people impacted by incarceration, and those affected by drug policy and chemical dependency.

Dr. Mahdavi West has served as a professor at Long Beach City College since 2015. She has also taught at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and Saddleback College and has been a frequent guest lecturer at Chapman University, presenting on multicultural and cross-cultural issues with a particular focus on Iran. She teaches a wide range of courses in Health and Human Services and Psychology, including Trauma and PTSD, Cross-Cultural Psychology, Psychology of Acculturation, Co-Occurring Disorders, and Crisis Intervention.

She has presented widely at regional, national, and international conferences on topics related to advocacy and social justice, including The Impact of Drug Policy, Clinical Practices That Contribute to Social Injustice, Empathy and Social Justice, and Acculturation and Assimilation of Immigrants. She has also spoken at numerous women’s leadership conferences, emphasizing the role of intersectionality in feminist movements. As part of her doctoral fieldwork, she conducted international research in Belfast on suicide rates and in Lima on the traumatic impact of poverty on Indigenous communities.

Her clinical and community work includes service in diverse settings such as the Orange County Health Care Agency, alternative education programs for incarcerated minors, the California Drug Courts, multicultural nonprofit organizations serving refugee communities, and addiction treatment programs. She previously operated a private practice focused on immigrants and refugees from the Middle East who had experienced trauma. In addition, she has produced and hosted multiple psychoeducational programs on international satellite radio and television.

Dr. Mahdavi West has long been active in community leadership and volunteer work. She served on the board of the Network of Iranian Professionals of Orange County (2009–2012), coordinated volunteers for the Mehregan International Cultural Festival (2010–2012), and was a founding member of the Iranian Circle of the Women’s Intercultural Network. She continues to lead public seminars on social, cultural, and psychological issues and has been a regular lecturer on multicultural and acculturation psychology at Chapman University. She also serves on the Executive Board of the California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators and is a committee member for the Course Identification Addiction Studies Faculty Discipline Review Group for the California Community Colleges.

At Long Beach City College, Dr. Mahdavi West founded Justice Scholars, a grassroots student organization that supports formerly incarcerated students. She also played a central role in developing the college’s resource center dedicated to the integration and success of system-impacted students.

Her poetry collection, Dusty Relics, was published in 2023, with a second collection forthcoming.

Dr. Mahdavi West is married to renowned philosopher Dr. Cornel West.

Website:
https://www.drannahitamahdaviwest.com