Bonnita Wirth, Ph.D.

Dr. Bonnita Wirth is a licensed psychologist, a Diplomat in Clinical Social Work, and a Board Certified expert in Traumatic Stress from the American Academy of Traumatic Stress Specialists.

Dr. Wirth joined the American Red Cross in 1990. She is a member of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter. She served as Co-Chair of the Disaster Mental Health Team from 1991-1997; as Chair from 1997 to July 2001; and is now the Mental Health Advisor to the Chapter.

Dr. Wirth has been on the Red Cross National Aviation Incident Response (AIR) Team since 1997. She has responded in one capacity or another to several aviation disasters including the: 1991 US Air crash at LAX; the 1996 TWA 800 crash on Long Island; the 1997 KAL 801 crash in Guam working with the air carrier locally; the 1999 EgyptAir 990 crash on the East coast working with the air carrier locally; the 2000 Alaska Air 261 crash in Ventura; the 2000 Southwest Airline incident at Burbank; and most recently the 2001 AvJet disaster working with AvJet in Burbank.

In 1993 and 2000, Bonnita was the recipient of the ARC Exceptional Volunteer Service Candlelight Award from Los Angeles Chapter. And also in 2000, she received the Spirit Award for Special Humanitarian Recognition from the Los Angeles County Consortium of American Red Cross Chapters