Dr. Tahira Mahdi is a community psychologist and consultant based in the Baltimore-Washington, DC region.
Dr. Mahdi develops and facilitates workshops and presentations for community programs, businesses, organizations, and college/university students and personnel. She also consults to businesses and organizations regarding internal and external community matters, research, and evaluation.
From a qualitative case study with the Go-Go music-cultural community, Dr. Mahdi developed a conceptual framework called Of the Community, which speaks to culturally-based communities and to marginalized communities who may be the focus of collaboration by researchers, organizations, and/or institutions. It also speaks to researchers, organizations, and institutions as they learn to consider issues of power and cultural marginalization when they engage communities.
A strong media background strengthens Dr. Mahdi’s work. Her early career work included programming and on-air work in radio and television after she earned a diploma at the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland. Now based in Baltimore, Dr. Mahdi has been an arts and entertainment journalist in the Washington, DC region for many years, contributing to independent media outlets such as Take Me Out to the Go-Go. She currently co-hosts the Regional Tour of Go-Go History at museums, libraries, and other venues in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. Recently, she has also taken on the role of filmmaker and is currently producing a feature-length film with her husband/writing partner.
Dr. Mahdi earned a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Human Services Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She is currently an adjunct professor in UMBC’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.