Meet the team
Founder
Rachel Abbott
Rachel has worked with global development organizations, nonprofits, and for-profit social enterprises around the world. She has led program design and implementation, fundraising, partnership development, impact measurement and analysis, and communications. She helped design and grow a youth intervention in Kenya. Rachel's independent consulting helped leaders increase their funding and public recognition. She has worked, lived, and traveled in low and middle-income countries in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Passionate about language learning, she speaks Spanish, French, Swahili, and Vietnamese.
Clinical Director
Rashi Sinha
Rashi Sinha is a psychotherapist, researcher and facilitator who works from a social justice framework. Rashi was a consultant for organizations and individuals on mental health. Her therapeutic experience includes gender issues, Dalit and Bahujan identities and community mental health projects. Her narrative practice has been apprenticed by David Epston, Tom Carlson and Kay Ingamells. She has completed her education in psychology from Tata Institute of Social Sciences- Mumbai and Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi.
Developer
Akashdeep Bhagat
Akash is a software developer building tech solutions for impact-driven organizations, specializing in WhatsApp chatbots. He manages the technology team for the India-based NGO Saajha, which utilizes technology to engage parents in their children's education. He has designed tech solutions for the Indian navy and is a technology consultant for Creador Foundation Malaysia. He is well-versed in both mobile and web development.
Guide
Para Raturi
Para is a psychology student at Sophia College in Mumbai. She previously interned with The Mood Space, a digital mental health organization, speaking directly with clients regarding their mental health, treatment pathways and logistics. She is a certified suicide prevention gatekeeper. At Kaya Guides, she interfaces with participants to guide them through our program and supports with tasks across the organization.
Our advisors
Peter Brietbart
CEO, MindEase
Peter is the CEO of an evidence-based mental health app that reduces anxiety.
Ann Don Bosco
Co-founder & Co-CEO of Canopie
Ann is the designer and co-CEO of an RCT-tested mental health app that treats postpartum depression.
Kanishk Kabiraj
Founder, Chart Paper Consulting and Ex India Country Director, Girl Effect
Kanishk designed and deployed Girl Effect's brand in India. He has 15 years of experience with product conceptualization and iteration, brand, and culture and consumer insights.
Akhil Bansal
Medical Research Analyst
Akhil is a licensed physician and a clinical board member of the youth mental health nonprofit ReachOut Australia.
Joey Savoie
Co-Founder of Charity Entrepreneurship
Joey co-founded the India-based vaccination nonprofit Charity Science Health. He is the co-founder and Director of Strategy of an organization that designs and launches high-impact nonprofits.
Kaya Guides completed Leadership in Mental Health, a course that trains participants to develop and scale up mental health interventions in low-and-middle-income countries. The course is run by Sangath, a nonprofit organization working to make mental healthcare accessible and affordable in India for the last 25 years.
Our values
Participants first.
Our goal is to help as many as possible, as deeply as possible. When in doubt, we consider the perspectives and well being of the people we want to help and seek to act in the way that will benefit them the most.
Good vibes.
We strive to create a kind and fun team environment filled with positive energy and strong connection. With us, expect good spirit, laughter and warmth, within our team and toward others. We support each other, and seek to understand each other’s perspectives.
Seek the truth, speak the truth.
We seek to see our work and ourselves honestly. We believe in the scout mindset- to see reality as accurately as possible and to be honest about what we find, whether that is related to our work, each other, or ourselves. When in doubt, we turn to evidence to guide us. We believe that progress doesn’t happen in the dark. We share that truth transparently with others.
Restless excellence.
We are dedicated to being in a state of continuous improvement. We strive to be better, to do better, and to do more, every day. We are eager to grow, change and evolve, to gain new information and use it to be better versions of ourselves.
Move fast, stretch things.
We are quick and ambitious. We aim to move quickly and efficiently , toeing the line of what is possible while remaining realistic.