Committed to listening, learning, and leveraging ideas to improve outcomes for everyone.

 

Whitney Fry, DrPH, MPH is a global health and violence prevention specialist, with a particular focus on positive systems change and organizational thriving. Whitney is motivated by untethered curiosity and a matured belief in innate human dignity, both of which guide her work around the globe. Applying strengths-based methodologies such as Appreciative Inquiry and storytelling to support transformation amid complexity, Whitney facilitates experiences and designs processes that promote alignment for organizations and teams to better advance their mission. Whitney also conducts strategic action research initiatives that surface positive pathways in global health and violence prevention.

Technical areas of expertise include gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, menstrual health and hygiene, and gender equality and social inclusion. Countries of professional engagement include Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Jordan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Fiji, and the United States. Whitney received a BA in biology from Taylor University (2003), an MPH in International Health and Complex Emergencies from Tulane University (2006), and a DrPH in Health Policy and Management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2016). She holds academic appointments at UNC’s Gillings School of Global Public Health and Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs.

 
SaVi'18-7114.jpg

Expertise

Group Facilitation & Training

Qualitative Social Science Research

Strategy & Partnership Development

Organization & Community Capacity Exchange

Mediation & Nonviolent Communication

Content Knowledge

Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (GESI)

Menstrual Health & Hygiene (MHH)

Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

Humanitarian Response & Refugee Health

Appreciative Inquiry & Storytelling

Presentations & Publications

Dignitas+photo+copy.jpg

Speaking & Facilitation

Co-host, Flame Tree Story podcast. Virtual on all platforms. Monthly, Nov 2025-present.

Co-host and facilitator, Flame Tree Story/Story First Design Community Storytelling Events: World Humanitarian Day (theme: connection) , International Day of Persons with Disabilities (theme: belonging), and World Water Day (theme: renewal). Durham and Carrboro, NC. Aug 2025, Dec 2025, Mar 2026.

Professor, Mental Health in Complex Emergencies (online). Fordham University, Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs. Fall semester, 2026.

Facilitator, Positive Birth Experiences Ideation Workshop. Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Nov 2025.

Co-trainer, Introduction to Nonviolent Communication. Chapel Hill, NC. Sept 2025.

Presenter and facilitator, Beauty in the Mess: Leveraging Strengths to Promote a Better Future for Global Health. Appreciative Inquiry Jam (global conference). Virtual. May 2025.

Lead designer and facilitator, Yes, AND: Appreciative Inquiry for the global development community. Durham, NC. Mar 2025.

Guest lecturer, Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Program, Implementation, and Evaluation & Global Reproductive Health courses. Apr 2020, Dec 2021, Nov 2022, Nov 2023, Dec 2024, Dec 2025.

Guest lecturer, UNC DrPH cohort evaluation course. Strengths-Based Evaluation Methods. Remote. Jun 2023, Aug. 2024.

Lead convenor and facilitator, monthly Chroma Collective online gatherings from Jan. 2023 to Jul. 2024.

Facilitator, Chroma Collective (gender mainstreaming-focused community of practice for leading donor and financing institutions)-convened workshops, Building Blocks of Gender Equality. Washington, DC and Geneva, Switzerland. Jun. 2024.

Moderator, Women Deliver conference side event. Cultivating Donor Support for Gender Equality. Kigali, Rwanda. Jul. 2023.

Guest lecturer, UNC undergraduate Honors Thesis course. Action Research in Kenya. North Carolina, USA. Feb. 2023

Guest lecturer, UNC DrPH cohort residency. Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) in the Workplace, Action Research Findings. North Carolina, USA. May 2022.

Keynote speaker, USAID-funded WASHPaLS MHM in the Workplace end of project dissemination event. Nairobi, Kenya. December 2021.

Presenter, ReACT Africa and South Centre Conference on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Antimicrobial Resistance and SDG 5 & SDG 10 at Nairobi, Kenya. Nov 2018.

Presenter, Safety and Violence Initiative (SaVI) Conference. Masculinities and Violence. Cape Town, South Africa. Oct 2018.

Facilitator, Prevention+ consortium (Rutgers, Promundo, & Sonke Gender Justice) weeklong partner meeting. Entebbe, Uganda. Sept 2018.

Presenter, Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Forum. Science Pitch presentation. Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Sept 2017.

Trainer, CARE for AIDS gender mainstreaming and GBV prevention training for all staff. Nairobi, Kenya. Jun 2017.

Facilitator, HelpAge International, technical and strategy workshop for regional leadership team. Nairobi, Kenya. Jun 2017.

Keynote speaker, FHI360 staff brownbag. What you see is what you get. Increasing impact through a change in perspective: Appreciative Inquiry applications in research and practice. North Carolina, USA. May 2017.

Facilitator, Africa Wildlife Foundation’s leadership strategy development workshop. Nairobi, Kenya. Mar 2017.

Facilitator, Evidence Action’s annual four-day regional leadership meeting. Nairobi, Kenya. Jan 2017.

Keynote speaker, Women Engendering Change, Women’s Network for Inclusive Development. Male socialization, gender-based violence prevention & Appreciative Inquiry. Nairobi, Kenya. Jun 2016.

Trainer, USAID-funded J-CAP family planning initiative. Amman, Jordan. Oct 2015.

Facilitator, Dignitas’s values-integration workshop for all staff. Nairobi, Kenya. Oct 2015.

Facilitator, Strategic Applications International-convened round table discussions for experts in five sectors of solid waste management: Industrial, domestic, medical, agriculture, and e-waste. Nairobi, Kenya. Jun, Jul, Sept, and Nov 2013.

Facilitator, SAPTA (Support for Addictions Prevention and Treatment Africa) Board of Directors strategic planning workshop. Nairobi, Kenya. May and Jul 2013.

Keynote speaker, Rotary Club. Invest in Girls. Kansas, USA. Jan. 2013.

Trainer, Behavior Change Workshop for Sudanese Health and Hygiene Promotion staff from Medair and Catholic Relief Services. El Geneina, West Darfur, Sudan. Jul 2011.

Keynote speaker, Greater Kansas City YMCA Board of Directors, YMCA Middle East Study Tour, Observations of Community Impact & Future Partnerships. Missouri, USA. May 2008.

Panel presenter, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) conference, Resilience-Based and Trauma-Focused Interventions for Children Following Katrina: Clinical Issues. Hollywood, CA. Nov 2006.

Presenter, International Centre for Ethnic Studies. Human Rights, GBV, Ethnic Conflict & Disaster Management: A Qualitative Analysis of the Tsunami Response. Kandy, Sri Lanka. Aug 2005.

Qualitative research.jpg

Fry, W., Mutua, S., Muli, A. (2025). “As Strong as a Hippo” - Trading stigma for confidence in menstrual health efforts in Kenya. Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner. 27(1), 79-86.

Krishna, A., Eliatamby, D. M., Fry, M. W., Nagar, A., Eaton, J. C., Bronsard, M., Njagi, J., Muli, A., Mutua, S., & Dongol, A. (2024). Workplace menstrual health in the private sector: Results from a pilot study in Kenya and Nepal. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 14(7), 473–485.

Fry, W., Muli, A., & Avni, M. (2024). Engaging Men on Women’s Terms: Improving Workplace Menstrual Health Through an Appreciative Inquiry Co-design Process. In K. Standing, S. Parker, & S. Lotter (Eds.), Experiences of Menstruation from the Global South and North: Towards a Visualised, Inclusive, and Applied Menstruation (pp. 119–132). Oxford University Press for The British Academy.

Fry, W., Njagi, J. W., Houck, F., Avni, M., & Krishna, A. (2022). Improving Women’s Opportunities to Succeed in the Workplace: Addressing Workplace Policies in Support of Menstrual Health and Hygiene in Two Kenyan Factories. Sustainability, 14(8). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084521

Fry, M. W., Saidi, S., Musa, A., Kithyoma, V., & Kumar, P. (2020). “ Even though I am alone, I feel that we are many”-An appreciative inquiry study of asynchronous, provider-to-provider teleconsultations in Turkana, Kenya. Plos One, 15(9), e0238806.

Fry, W., & Odour, B. (2019). From Cynicism to Hope: A Story of Male Change Agents in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.12781/978-1-907549-38-0-4

M. Whitney Fry, Asheley C. Skinner, & Stephanie B. Wheeler. (2017). Understanding the Relationship Between Male Gender Socialization and Gender-Based Violence Among Refugees in Sub-Saharan Africa. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838017727009

Fry, M. W. (2016). Promoting positive male gender socialization among migrant male youth living in Kakuma refugee camp, Kenya: Applying appreciative inquiry to gender-based violence prevention efforts. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. (UMI No. 10146087).

Storace, K., & Fry, W. (2016). Voices from the Field. Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner, 18(2).

Snider, L., Hoffman, Y., Littrell, M., Fry, W., & Thornburgh, M. (2010). Supporting Children After Hurricane Katrina: Reflections on Psychosocial Principles in Practice. In R. P. Kilmer, V. E. Gil-Rivas, R. G. Tedeschi, & L. G. Calhoun (Eds.), Helping families and communities recover from disaster: Lessons learned from hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. American Psychological Association.

Faramawi, M. F., Johnson, E., Fry, M. W., Sall, M., & Yi, Z. (2007). Consumption of different types of meat and the risk of renal cancer: Meta-analysis of case–control studies. Cancer Causes & Control, 18, 125–133.

Publications