Meet the voices leading Speak Now

Abhinav Anne is a high school senior planning to study neuroscience and global health on the pre-medical track. He serves as the youngest appointed World Health Organization (WHO) advisor and Youth Council Member and is a researcher collaborating with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on the Pediatric Cancer Reintegration Project. His research experience focuses on the intersections of child psychology, illness-related stigma, and educational adaptation to build compassionate learning environments and improve children’s mental health outcomes. As Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Speak Now, Abhinav has led initiatives that have connected more than 1.5 million children and youth to specialized mental health resources, essential care, and life-saving support. He has also worked alongside partners including TikTok and the WHO Fides Network to help advance global efforts focused on youth mental health, digital well-being, and creating safer online spaces. His personal mental health journey sparked him to advocate for historic health policies, including proposing and co-authoring landmark legislation in Illinois to pioneer the nation’s first universal, no-cost K-12 school mental health screenings. Outside of his advocacy and research, he enjoys traveling, listening to music, and playing volleyball with friends.

Sai is a research intern at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine’s Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science, studying adolescent mental health, and conducts neuroscience research at Stanford University using artificial intelligence to identify early markers of neurodegenerative disease. As Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Speak Now, Sai leads initiatives focused on youth mental health education, advocacy, and early intervention. Inspired by her family’s experiences, she co-authored landmark Illinois legislation advocating for universal, no-cost K-12 school mental health screenings and continues to work toward expanding equitable access to mental healthcare. Beyond her advocacy, Sai serves as President of the Aurora Youth Council, President of the IMSA Medical Society, and President of Total Applied Learning for Entrepreneurs. Outside of her work, she enjoys photography, thrifting, traveling, baking, and spending time with friends and family.

Ashton Liang is a high school senior planning to pursue a degree in public health and psychology. He serves as the Youth Chapter Liaison for NAMI Illinois, where he supports onboarding new members and coordinates efforts across more than 70 chapters, and is also a member of NAMI Illinois’ Youth Advisory Board, contributing to statewide youth mental health initiatives. In addition, Ashton is actively involved in the Youth Healing Chicago movement, a coalition of organizations—including AAAJ and BPNC Chicago—focused on advancing youth mental health advocacy and policy in Chicago. As Chief Program and Strategy Officer, Ashton is directly responsible for inventing, overseeing, and developing all of Speak Now’s initiatives, such as our Global Chapters Initiative, our Care Packages Program, and our Translations Program. In his free time, Ashton enjoys fish-flavored nuggets, lemon-flavored mashed potatoes, and participating in his NAMI on Campus efforts at his local high school as Co-President.

Hello! I am a senior at Northside College Preparatory High School in Chicago, Illinois. As a committed nursing unit volunteer at the Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, I also serve on the community youth advisory board for the Harvard Medical School HERLab, helping to improve community health outcomes through research-driven interventions. I’m also the founder and president of Northside’s NAMI On Campus club, which is dedicated to raising awareness, reducing stigma, and advocating for students’ mental health!

Julian Kembabazi from Uganda. Global Mental Health Advocate. Co-Director of Advocacy at SPEAK NOW. Passionate about improving mental health globally with 3+ years in mental health advocacy, patient advocacy, addiction coordination, youth advocacy and community outreach. Skilled in active listening, cultural competence, team collaboration, advocacy, critical thinking and empathy. Has clinical expertise working in a mental hospital working with people living with mental health challenges such as Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, Bipolar and Substance abuse. Passionate about creating positive community impact and advocating for stigma reduction interventions to increase awareness about mental health. Leads international advocacy initiatives at SPEAK NOW to influence youth mental health policies. Alumna at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health 2024!

Hi, my name is Navya and I’m one of the Co-Directors of the Partnerships Team! My role involves leading the team to make strategic relationships with organizations that adhere to Speak Now’s principles and share the same mission. I’m currently a rising junior at Framingham High School in the Greater Boston area in Massachusetts. I’m also Vice President of my school’s Key Club and Social Justice Club that aims to raise awareness for various social causes (a big one being youth mental health) through organized community initiatives.

Shrika Adavalli is a high school student from Germany and Co-Director of Partnerships at Speak Now. She leads the Partnerships team in building relationships with organisations and securing collaborations that expand Speak Now’s global youth mental health impact. Her advocacy stems from her own experience with anxiety, driving her to help young people feel understood and empowered to seek help. Passionate about neuroscience and psychology, she aspires to become a neurosurgeon, drawn to the brain as the only organ holding both the physical and the invisible – emotions, memories, and the essence of being human. She also conducts independent research and enjoys dancing and Taekwondo.

Deputy Director of Communications: I work in the social media sector of things. I appeal to the tastes and biases of the masses and relate that back into our posts. I am currently a high school student. I’m Cali born and raised. I have researched with Charles Drew University regarding mental health conditions, and its effects on lives of those with them.

Comfort serves as the Deputy Social Media Communications Director at Speak Now. Comfort assist and collaborate with the Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Director(s) of Communications on strategic social media initiatives. She also co-manages the organization’s technology workflow and platform architecture. She is also the founder of a mental health organization in Nigeria that’s spreading to other states in Nigeria. She also founded a digital marketing agency that helps creatives and business owners create a reputable and profitable brands online, and is also the convener of the Young And Thriving Youth Conference targeted at enlightening young people on vital aspects of creativity, mental health and finance. Two editions were held in 2024 and 2025. We’re gearing up for the 3rd edition in 2026.

I am Fernando Aguilar, a proud Mexican-American child of immigrants from Arvin, California. I am a current Kern Youth Organizer for the Dolores Huerta Foundation and a Colby College student. As a deputy advocacy director, I am in charge of implementing project ideas, providing mentorship, overseeing volunteers, and leading international advocacy initiatives to influence youth mental health policies. My involvement in mental health includes being a Summer Nunchi Health Fellow, where we explore mental health tools and conversations. I am also a Remember Magazine contributing writer, where I write about how politics and mental health intersect.

As the Deputy Education Director at Speak Now, I co-develop educational and mental health curricula. Along with this, I conduct research and contribute evidence-based content to support mental health awareness initiatives. I am a school psychologist, and I am from Pakistan. I am an experienced school psychologist supporting students’ mental wellbeing in educational settings. I co-developed curriculum content at Speak Now focused on education and mental health awareness. I also train psychology interns in applied school-based mental health practices. In addition, I manage a public Instagram page called @untangledmentalhealthwithfiza, where I share mental health awareness content and educational resources to educate and support others online.

John Mwangi is a Lived Experience Expert and social entrepreneur based in Kenya, serving as the Deputy Partnerships Director at Speak Now. In this role, he supports partnerships, funding strategy, proposals, and collaborations designed to expand mental health impact globally. Passionate about turning personal stories into action, John empowers individuals with lived experience to share authentic narratives that challenge stigma and drive systemic change. He is a strong advocate for peer support, recognizing lived experience as vital expertise in recovery, and campaigns for the meaningful inclusion and fair compensation of lived experience contributors.

Hi, I’m Jomo Mbao from Lusaka Province, Zambia. I serve as the Deputy Finance Director at Speak Now, where I support financial planning, budgeting, reporting, and the organization’s financial operations to help advance our global mental health mission. I am currently pursuing an MSc in Project Management and have a background in business administration, accounting, and nonprofit finance. Through my volunteer work with community and international organizations, I have supported youth development, grant writing, and initiatives that promote mental health awareness and well-being.

My Name is Joshua Okechukwu. I am a deputy communications director for speak now. I am a community health care provider, a mental health advocate, and a human right activist as well (community paralegal). I am from Nigeria, Anambra state. I am the founder of my mind initiative, a mental health organization that focuses on providing mental health related services for young people and minority groups. I have also run various mental health campaigns and advocacy for PlHIV groups in Nigeria. Recently concluded my last engagement with city safe space as a digital peer educator where I educated young people on the importance of good mental health practices and creating awareness to dangers associated with mental health stress.

Speak Now provides me with a platform to share my unique perspective on topics that are near and dear to my heart. As Deputy Director of Communications, my current responsibilities include working on mental health blog posts, the website, and a project called “Voices Around the World.” I am a student at National University, pursuing my Master’s degree to become a Marriage and Family Therapist. I am from the West Coast of the United States. I participate in my local Mental Health Ministry. My dream is to publish my own books regarding how relationships affect mental health.

I am a high school student in Chicago, Illinois, USA, who has joined Speak Now as a Deputy Director of Advocacy. While Speak Now is my first step towards giving my time to mental health work, I am committed to collaborating with the rest of the advocacy group and the organization as a whole to provide up-to-date information and help for mental health needs.

As one of the Deputy Education Directors at Speak Now, I create educational content focused on mental health awareness, emotional intelligence, and youth empowerment e.t.c. I also design slideshow presentations and advocacy materials for young audiences, while also contributing to various team initiatives and campaigns.

Occupation: Undergraduate student: Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Country: Nigeria, Lagos.

Important mental health work: I’m currently co-authoring a commentary on storytelling and reducing mental health stigma, which we hope to submit to Nature Mental Health. I also work as an undergraduate research assistant studying how medical students psychologically respond to recurrent illness. Outside research, I create mental health and trauma awareness content on TikTok, where I talk about the importance of faith-integrated mental health care in Nigerian communities.

Mia Guan is a 14-year-old student and advocate from California, USA, and serves as the Deputy Director of Communications at Speak Now. In her role, she helps with outreach, blogpost, and awareness efforts focused on reducing youth mental health stigma. She is also involved in public policy and independent research centered on adolescent mental health and student wellbeing. Mia additionally founded TNWSH (To Name What Silence Holds), a youth-led initiative focused on mental health communication, education, and student-centered awareness, and is currently working on implementing wellness education into middle schools.

My name is Rashi, and I am a rising sophomore in high school from San Diego, California. I am a part of the Communications team of Speak Now as a Deputy Director of Website. I assist with technology initiatives, building the website, and creating articles and designs. To spread awareness, I’ve lead collaborative, community events around breaking the mental health stigma, interactive mental health fairs at school, represented as a Hope Squad Ambassador, and I have programmed apps that help with well-being and stress.

Working in the advocacy team to as Deputy Advocacy director, working on curriculum for certification course and assisting the advocacy directors. Neuroscience B.S and Political Science B.A Double Major (Undergraduate Student at DePaul University) I am from IL, USA. I have won several awards from Mental health advocacy work, including from the township of Naperville and from the Illinois Secretary of State. Worked as certified crisis counselor for crisis text line, developed youth focused initiatives for different nonprofits, including You Matter Inc., Esperanza, NAMI DuPage, NAMI Illinois, NAMI Metro Suburban, including serving as associate board members. Work with Southeast Analog to develop mental health training plans for astronauts on Mars analog mission as the Astronaut Medical and Psychology Training Lead. Developed my own 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on mental health literacy in youth within Chicago. Worked in 3 research labs focused on psychology and mental health of different populations, ranging from adolescents in other countries to adults in the Chicago area.

Winnie is a Deputy Director of Education at Speak Now mainly supporting formation of slide decks, and a program officer advocating for mental health. Winnie is from Uganda Kampala, where she conducts school mental health outreaches providing knowledge sessions and mental health therapies.