Ia Shekriladze is a Psychology doctor, the first USA Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in Georgia; In 1994 graduated faculty of Psychology, Tbilisi State University; in 2002 obtained Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University in the city of New York; in 2011 became licensed in the state of California; in 2018 obtained PhD in Psychology from Ilia State University with doctoral thesis on immigration, acculturation and eating disorders. In 2002-2003 taught at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University faculty of Psychology and later in 2011-2017 – at School of Social and Political Studies. Since 2014 has been teaching at Ilia State University. She is a founder and board member of Georgian Association of Social Workers. She has more than 20 years of experience of working with multiple international and local organizations (e.g. Save the Children, EveryChild, UMCOR, World Bank) including over 8 years of employment history in the United States (Institute for Multicultural Counseling and Education Services, Los Angeles, CA; Kidsave International, Los Angeles, CA; Federation for Employment and Guidance Services, New York, NY), as a clinician, researcher, adviser, regional coordinator and manager. She is an author and co-author of multiple publications and manuals.