Dr Victoria Williamson is currently Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter and a Senior Research Fellow at King’s College London.  She recently spent four years as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford.  The announcement was made at the UKPTS 2024 Annual Conference, held at Wolfson College, Oxford.

Since 2019, she has served the UKPTS as the chair of two conferences, as an executive board member, and most recently as Secretary. She will serve as President-elect alongside current President, Professor Dominic Murphy for six months before commencing her term.

Victoria gained her PhD from the University of Bath in 2016, which explored parental responses following child experiences of trauma in the UK and South Africa.  Her current work encompasses child and adult post-trauma recovery and the co-design of novel interventions, particularly for traditionally under-served groups.  She is author of more than 80 internationally peer-reviewed articles and has led several research studies focusing on the psychological impact of trauma exposure in high-risk groups, including frontline staff, military veterans, and survivors of human trafficking.  Her recent work has been highly influential in furthering the understanding and treatment of moral injury.

She is a member of the Editorial Board of the European Journal of Psychotraumatology and the Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma, and is a member of a NATO Task Force on moral injury.

Dr Williamson commented: “It is a huge honour to be confirmed as President-elect of the UKPTS.  The Society has a vital and growing role to play as a central resource for all professions with an interest in working with populations exposed to trauma.   I greatly look forward to continuing the work of Dominic, and continuing to grow and develop the UKPTS.”

Professor Dominic Murphy said: “I am immensely proud of what the UKPTS has achieved over the past few years, notably our successful conferences – including a virtual conference during COVID – and our role as host Society for the 2023 ESTSS Biennial Conference in Belfast.  It is a pleasure to be handing over to Vici, and I wish her every success.”