Dr. Wilhelmina J. Kalu (nee Dowuona-Hammond) is a Professor of Educational Psychology with interest in Special Education. She was born in Accra, Ghana, an alumnus of Wesley Girls’ High School and Achimota School. She was the first born of an eminent Educationist, late Hon. A.J Dowuona-Hammond, Minister of Education in the First Republic, Ghana. She lived and studied abroad for several years. Her B.A is in Sociology with Psychology minor from McMaster
University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. She also studied at the Institute of Child Study, with courses at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, both at the University of Toronto, Canada. She has a degree in Clinical Social Work from the London School of Economics, University of London and a PhD in Educational Psychology, University of Nigeria.
She was on the Faculty at Dept. of Educational Foundations, University of Nigeria, until 2003, where she developed the Special Education programs on the undergraduate and graduate levels and assisted with similar development and teaching of courses in Educational Psychology and Early Childhood programs. She supervised several Masters and PhD students. She combined Faculty teaching of several courses in these areas with a psycho-educational, family and pastoral counseling practice as well as the development of the Children’s Center for the University and local community. She taught Pastoral counseling and Human development as Adjunct Faculty at McCormick Theological Seminary, Center for African American Theological Studies and Progressive Bible Institute, all in Chicago.
She has membership in several African and international professional associations in Psychology and Counseling. These include Life Membership in the International Council of Psychologists (ICP), serving a term on Board of Directors (1988-1991) and in the Area Chair for Nigeria (1985-2001). She is an International Affiliate of the American Psychological Association (APA) and member of the American Association for Pastoral Counseling (AAPC) since 1993 and 1991 respectively. She is also a member of the Society of Intercultural Pastoral Care and Counseling (SIPCC), and International Council for Family and Couple Relations. She has served on the International Council of Pastoral Care and Counseling (ICPCC, 1985- 1998), the Education Commission, World Council of Churches, Geneva (1983-1990), and consulted for the All African Conference of Churches. She is a member and was President of the African Association for Pastoral Studies and Counseling (AAPSC, 1993-2006) and the African Network on Prevention & Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN).
She is on Editorial boards or consultant teams of African and international journals in Counseling, Educational Foundations and Special Education including the Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health and into community outreach programs. She has over 65 publications in the areas of early childhood and family psychology, pastoral counseling, women and special education. She was married to the late Prof. Ogbu U Kalu with four children.