2024 Young Innovators in Behavioral Health Awards - Hopelab

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Young Innovators in Behavioral Health Awards

Meet the 30 winners of the Inaugural Young Innovators in Behavioral Health Awards Program created in partnership with Hopelab, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and Going Digital Behavioral Health Tech. The 2023 winners are recognized for their contributions to access, awareness, and advancement of digital mental health care for young people in the U.S.

Recognizing artists, culture workers, and organizers who use creative expression to advocate for change and justice in behavioral health

Recognizing healthcare professionals who provide exemplary care, compassion, and innovation in the delivery of behavioral health care.

Recognizing innovators and entrepreneurs who transform ideas into successful ventures or non-profits.

Recognizing journalists, influencers, and other content creators who leverage their media platforms to shape public discourse on behavioral health topics.

Recognizing researchers, students, and educators who advance evidence-based knowledge in behavioral health and help translate science into solutions.

Recognizing pioneers who leverage technology to push boundaries and create digital solutions to solve complex behavioral health challenges.

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Alyssa Garza

PLPC for Veterans Transitional Living Program and Founded Active Minds at LSUS

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Jasper Ho

Learn More Jasper Ho (he/him) Developed Transcend curriculum, supporting LGBTQ+ youth as a trans-Asian

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Karrington Hendrix

Founded Stigma Free, providing free mental health care to students

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Mitchell Kabenda

Mental health advocate, behavioral health counselor at UnityPoint Health, aspiring professional in digital health & technology

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Micah Reyes

Uplifts women and LGBTQ+ youth in recovery at NewPerspective Sober Living

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Juan Acosta

Mental Health + LGBTQ Activist , Speaker and content creator

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Gael Aitor

Co-founder of Astro Studios, founder of Teenager Therapy podcast

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Alexandria Ang

Launching Mental Health Mailboxes and hosts the "A is for Anxious" podcast

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Diana Chao

Founder of Letters to Strangers, focused on destigmatizing mental illness

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Francesca Reicherter

Founder of Inspiring My Generation, leading suicide prevention

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Alejandra Gomez

Mental health and policy activist, Led Sonoma County's 100-Day Challenge

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Andre Simms

Founder of DayOneNotDayTwo, leads youth events and art workshops in jails

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Naomi Cruz Ojeda

Policy fellow at Young Invincibles and mental health advocate

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Saanvi Arora

Co-founder and Executive Director of the Youth Power Project

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Trace Terrell

Mental health advocate and serves on advisory boards for MHA and NAMI

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Patrick Gilligan

Founder of Somethings, using certified peer specialist mentors to provide more engaging care to teenagers at scale

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Gun Young Lim

Co-founder of Sol Health, helping therapists-in-training accrue clinical hours by offering personalized therapy to Gen Z

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Magda Wojtara

MD Candidate UCLA DGSOM and founder General Intelligences

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Rick Yang

Directed SchoolSight and founded Frontiers of Fulfillment

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Tessa Zimmerman

Founder and Executive Director of Upstream Education

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Riya Dave

Fulbright Scholar and NIH researcher, created India’s first mental health app for orphan girls

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Demond Hill

PH.D: Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Comparative Human Development/D.I.C.E lab at the University of Chicago

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Tabor Hoatson

PhD student in psychiatric epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

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Angela Li

CEO and Co-Founder of Soulsync,

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Finneas Wong

Mental health researcher and activist for trans and nonbinary Asian teens, a contributor to the Boba Project

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Nita Akoh

Founder and CEO of MyAtlas

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Justine Bautista

Ph.D. student at UC Irvine, developing tech for marginalized communities

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Gloria Umanah

Founder and CEO of mental health nonprofit Hope Booth

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Audrey Wang

Founder of Affective Cookies, youth advisor at Born This Way Foundation and GoodforMEdia

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Carissa Parsons

Mental health advocate enhancing Nevada Teen Peer Support Text Line