2024-2025 directors BOARD

                         EXECUTIVE

Natalia Castillo
Hey! My name is Natalia and I am a 3rd year Cognitive Science major. I joined Active Minds because I recognized how significant it is to de-stigmatize, legitimize, and educate our peers on mental health issues. As someone who's struggled with their mental health in a constricting environment, I can sympathize with the desire to be accepted in a supportive and inclusive space, and I wish to provide this space for others. With Active Minds, I aspire to utilize my passion and foster progressive conversations regarding mental health on campus and in our community!​

                        EXECUTIVE

Abby Freeman
Hi! My name is Abby Freeman, and I’m a 4th year Psychobio major. I joined Active Minds because I am super passionate about spreading mental health awareness and helping teach people ways they can support themselves and those around them. I value engaging in thought-provoking discussions about mental health and learning all I can about the most up to date mental health research and initiatives. Some goals I hope to achieve are garnering more attention toward de stigmatizing conversations about mental health - by having the difficult conversations! (tune into our radio segments), and equipping more people in the community with all sorts of necessary tools (ie how to help someone in a panic attack, guides for more supportive conversations, important resources, etc). I love Active Minds and feel very thankful to be a part of such an amazing organization.

Marketing

Tanaya Jog
Hi! My name is Tanaya Jog and I’m a sophomore at UCLA majoring in Cognitive Science. A little bit about me, I love to dance, paint, and play the guitar! I joined Active Minds because I’m deeply passionate about breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and encouraging others to prioritize their mental well-being. I was also drawn to the supportive and welcoming community of people who share similar goals and passions. Active Minds has always been an inclusive and safe space for me, and I want to ensure it continues to be that for others. I aspire to foster a space where everyone feels seen, heard, and supported while working together to create greater access to mental health resources.

Marketing

Mili Pavagadhi
​Hi! My name is Mili and I'm a second-year Psychobiology major. I decided to join Active Minds because I'm super passionate about spreading awareness about mental health and I also just love the Active Minds community. Everybody is really nice, welcoming, and encouraging and I'm excited to grow more with them and work more with the UCLA community as a whole to increase discussions about mental health on campus!

Membership

Nicole "Nikki" Samaan
Hi, I’m Nikki! I’m a second-year psychology major with a possible minor in anthropology and an interest in pre-law. I joined Active Minds because I’m passionate about breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health. Coming from a Middle Eastern background, I know firsthand how challenging open conversations about mental well-being can be. Transitioning from a small school to a large campus also had its challenges, and Active Minds provided a supportive community where I felt understood and encouraged. Now, as the Membership Director, I’m excited to help others find that same sense of belonging. This year, my goal is to create an even more inclusive environment, where members feel safe to share, connect, and grow together, while also working to bring greater awareness of mental health across campus.​

Membership

Shay Baker

Hello, My name is Shay Baker and I am a 3rd year Psychology Major and a Public Affairs Minor. This is my second year in Active Minds! I joined because I wanted to be a part of a community that works to foster open conversations surrounding mental health and how to mitigate the negative connotations surrounding the topic. I want to play a bigger role in expanding our organization’s reach within our Bruin and Broader Los Angeles community. I am excited to work alongside directors to facilitate more quarterly events where people can learn more about mental health and leave knowing that no one should have to suffer in silence. 

EDUCATION

Golnaz Ahmadieh
Hi everyone! My name is Golnaz and I'm a second-year majoring in Psychology. I joined Active Minds last year because I am passionate about mental health advocacy and de-stigmatizing the conversation around it. I am excited to help educate the UCLA student body about mental health topics that often go undiscussed, as well as promoting a more inclusive environment with adequate support and resources :) ​

EDUCATION

Corrine Goldberg 
​Hi there! I'm a third year Spanish and Psychology double major from South Lake Tahoe, CA. I decided to join Active Minds to be around other students who are as passionate about mental health as I am. Through my involvement in Active Minds I hope to be a voice for other students and to expand our mission on campus and throughout the community. A fun fact about me is that I have a little sister who also goes to UCLA!

Workshops

Kaden Chai
​Hi! I am Kaden and I am a third year psychobiology major. In my free time I love playing music (I play cello, piano and guitar!), playing games (RPGs and fighting games), and watching movies (avid Letterboxd user). I decided to join Active Minds because I wanted to be a part of changing the stigma around mental health and making a positive impact. During the pandemic, the higher-ups at my high school disregarded student mental health issues and refused to give a wellness day that would have benefited the student population greatly during such hard times. This ultimately motivated me to try and make this change surrounding the conversation around mental health so that students and adults alike would begin to take the issue more seriously. I've also loved the community and support I've found from Active Minds, and I hope to further strengthen that aspect as a director!

Workshops

Mia Montillano
​As a 4th year Psychology and Sociology major, I'm ultimately striving towards a career as a Marriage and Family Therapist. I joined Active Minds because I believe that belonging and purpose are some of the biggest components of mental health, and I believe that AM hosts so many special opportunities to find a loving, learning community that is grounded in advocacy for our collective wellbeing. I also believe we have much more work to do to fulfill AM's mission to truly "CHANGE the conversation" about mental health, and I wanted to embody the growth and new perspectives I wanted to see in the workshops I lead.

Events

Emily Benjamin
My name is Emily Benjamin, I’m a 3rd year Psychology Major, hoping to minor in LGBTQ+ studies! I decided to join Active Minds because I wanted to be part of a welcoming, supportive community that de-stigmatizes the idea of mental health and illness on campus, and advocates for students’ mental well being. With Active Minds I hope to continue this supportive environment for students :) 

events

Dan Pham
​hi! my name is dan (she/her) and i'm a 2nd year psych major allll the way from hanoi, vietnam. i decided to join because having grown up in a place that stifles emotional expression, my mission strongly aligns with activeminds' mission: to normalize mental wellness. as co-events director, i hope to bring people closer to mental health through creative and engaging events because humor and joy make tough topics more fun :)

Advocacy

Lucia Cleveland
I joined Active Minds because I have always been passionate about de-stigmatizing mental health— especially within marginalized communities. I know that what we do has ripple effects through the UCLA community. Active Minds has created a sub-community of people who are passionate about mental health, working towards increasing access to resources on campus, having healthy conversations, and even just having a good time which is so crucial to maintaining positive mental health!! I’m so grateful to be a part of that and I have met some of the coolest people in our club ☺️🫶🏽​

Advocacy

Jana Abulaban
I'm a fourth-year (second-year transfer) student majoring in Psychology and Communications. I joined Active Minds because I wanted to be part of a community dedicated to uplifting the voices of those facing mental health challenges and promoting an environment where seeking help is seen as a strength, not a weakness. My goal is to use my role to empower others through advocacy efforts. As one of the Advocacy Directors for Active Minds, I strive to create meaningful initiatives and activities that spark conversations about mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding it.​

​Outreach

​Outreach

Corporate
relations

​logistics

Jocelyn Ortega
Hi! My name is Jocelyn and I'm passionate about promoting mental health, de-stigmatizing mental health conversations, and expanding access to services for underserved communities. Joining Active Minds has given me the opportunity to advocate for these causes by extending mental health support to both students and the local community. I believe mental health is an essential part of overall well-being, and everyone, regardless of their background, should have access to the care they need. Through my involvement, I hope to help drive meaningful change and service within our community and beyond!​

Chelsea Dong
Hello, my name is Chelsea, and I am currently a first-year Biology major. Active Minds, to me,  demonstrated the importance of providing mental health services and creating conversations destigmatizing mental health. This includes creating safe spaces for students at UCLA. With outreach, I hope to help create more events that allow students to connect, provide more accessible services, and continue cultivating these safe spaces.  ​

Nicole Mazaheri
​Hi! My name is Nicole, and I am a second-year Psychobiology major. As someone with a true passion for mental health awareness, I joined Active Minds to place a genuine impact on our campus. I have truly appreciated the community of like-minded peers I have became a part of during my time so far in Active Minds, as we are all working together to change the conversations and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. Through further involvement in Active Minds, I aspire to promote the mental health resources we have on our campus and ensure that more students know that there is always a safe space ready for them.

Dafne Piña Castro
Hi everyone! My name is Dafne Piña Castro. I’m a first-generation student and a fourth-year Psychology major with a Brain and Behavioral Health minor at UCLA. Currently, I serve as the Director of Logistics at Active Minds. I decided to join Active Minds because I’m passionate about changing the conversation around mental health and de-stigmatizing mental illness. My long-term goal is to earn a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, ultimately becoming a Clinical Psychologist to open my own practice to provide diagnosis and treatment for Latinx adolescents and adults facing mental health challenges. Through my involvement with Active Minds, I hope to create impactful programs in partnership with health service organizations, focusing on the student community. I’m dedicated to promoting resources and reducing stigma surrounding mental health in our communities.

Finance

Intern

​Intern

​Intern

Siya Patel
​I am a 2nd year Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology major from Orange County, CA. In my free time I enjoy reading and hiking (love Crystal Cove), so please give me recommendations! My journey as a mental health advocate began in high school, when I joined Bring Change to Mind after facing mental health challenges myself and initially hesitating to seek support. Through this role, I found purpose in working to destigmatize mental health and create a supportive community, so I joined Active Minds when I started college to continue this advocacy. This is my second year in Active Minds and I serve as the Finance Director, working in the background to ensure all our committees’ wonderful events are successfully funded. My goal is to help cultivate a safe space where people feel empowered to talk about mental health and support one another in their journeys. I hope to carry this mission forward throughout my time at UCLA and beyond, creating a legacy of mental health advocacy and community support.

Carol Chung
Hi everyone! My name is Carol (she/her) and I'm a second-year psychobio major from Oakland, California! I am a first-generation Chinese/Vietnamese American and college student, and I joined Active Minds because I have a passion in mental health advocacy and a deep interest in the connection between psychological and physiological health. This year, I hope to foster a stronger community with my fellow Bruins, de-stigmatize conversations surrounding mental health, and expand mental health services to communities across UCLA and the greater Los Angeles area! 

​

Vincent Li
Hello! I'm Vincent Li, and I'm a first year Psychobio major! I enjoy playing videos games, specifically open-world games and story games. I also love anything Studio Ghibli and spending time with family. I decided to join Active Minds, because I've always been a mental health advocate and want to play a role in changing the views around mental health. Coming from a traditional family and being first-gen student, I understand the struggles of mental health and how that has affected everyone around me. I hope to be a part of the change that our school and community needs for mental health!

Micki Porcaro
​Hi! I'm Micki a junior transfer born and raised in LA :) I joined Active Minds as mental health in both scientific and social contexts is something I am incredibly passionate about and I believe prioritizing wellbeing is vital in order to be able to succeed in other areas of life.  Open discussions of mental wellness and emotions have always been something I engage in and encourage others to take part in as well. I hope that through compassion and initiative I can be a positive force in an effort to destigmatize the topic of mental health, and advocate for both my fellow peers and self!