Dr. Richard Oni (LISW; MSHA)

Executive Director, Progressive Individual Resources Inc.
Clinical Director & Co-Founder, Progressive Individual Resources | Minnesota, USA

Dr. Richard Oni earned his Ph.D. in Mental Health Management from the Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1994. He is a private consultant and the clinical director and co-founder of Progressive Individual Resources (PIR), an organization providing multicultural mental health services to families of new immigrants in Minnesota. His areas of expertise include training, evaluation, assessment, and public policy.

Dr. Oni has designed and delivered numerous workshops and lectures nationally and internationally on mental health and special education. He has contributed significantly to strengthening behavioral aide services in Minnesota, developing one of the leading training curricula in the field.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Oni has held several state appointments, including service on the Governor’s Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities (1995–2001), the State of Minnesota Children’s Subcommittee, the Cultural Advisory Council on State Special Education, the Minnesota Task Force on Refugee and Immigrant Issues, and the Quality Peer Review Committee of the State of Minnesota Day Treatment Programs.

He has also led numerous community trainings for African immigrant parents on social services, welfare systems, and correctional processes, fostering greater understanding and access to essential resources. A long-standing member of the American Correctional Association since 1996, Dr. Oni continues to advance culturally responsive mental health and social service practices.