One Mind Internship Stories

Eleanor Owen
Intern, Workplace Mental Health & Scientific Programs

Eleanor Owen is a Business Management student at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business (Class of 2026) with a strong interest in the intersection of business, social impact, and mental health.

During her internship with One Mind, Eleanor worked closely with Chief Scientific Officer Tahilia Rebello to support initiatives focused on workplace mental health and scientific collaboration. She contributed to the development of the Workplace Mental Health Masterclass series, helping organize science-based content and translate complex ideas into accessible materials for leaders and organizations.

She also supported the planning of conversations and events such as the REAL Summit and NationSwell discussions, assisting with speaker preparation, interview questions, and event coordination.

The experience gave Eleanor hands-on insight into how research, collaboration, and communication come together to advance progress in brain and mental health. After graduating, she will pursue a Master of Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University and continue working to support mental health and community wellbeing.

Rika Matsumaru
Intern, Workplace Mental Health & Research

During her internship with One Mind, Rika contributed to projects focused on organizational culture and clinician well-being. She conducted secondary data analysis in R, examining research on organizational practices that can help reduce clinician burnout and strengthen workplace mental health. She also analyzed interview findings, helped develop training and workshop materials, and supported presentations and reports designed to share insights with leadership and healthcare organizations.

Through this work, Rika strengthened her analytical and research skills while gaining experience translating data and qualitative insights into practical resources for decision-makers.

Rika earned her Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (Class of 2025). Before pursuing her MPH, she trained as a nurse at **St. Luke’s International University in Japan and worked in both hospital and community health settings. Her combined clinical and public health background informs her interest in using data and evidence to improve healthcare systems and support the wellbeing of the healthcare workforce.

Ellie Kim
Intern, Research & Digital Content Support

During her internship with One Mind, Ellie supported the Rising Star Awards, a program that funds promising early-career researchers working to advance brain and mental health research. She helped organize project materials, review awardee information, and source images, descriptions, and video clips highlighting the work of Rising Star researchers. Her work contributed to preparing materials that could be used for digital storytelling and outreach, helping share the impact of the program with a broader audience.

Ellie also assisted with scheduling and coordination tasks that support the day-to-day operations of the program. Through researching awardee projects and reviewing scientific summaries, she gained exposure to a wide range of mental health research areas and developed a deeper appreciation for the many fields contributing to advances in brain health.

Through this experience, Ellie strengthened her organizational, research, and communication skills while gaining insight into how research programs highlight and support innovative work in mental health science.

Colter Corish
Intern, MBA Strategy & Growth, Workplace Mental Health Initiatives 

Colter supported strategy and growth initiatives within One Mind’s Workplace Mental Health portfolio, with a focus on engaging business leaders, founders, and young professionals. He contributed to landscape analyses for expanding the Rising Star Awards Academy, analyzed startup and organizational data to inform program development, and assisted with drafting curricula and content connecting business education with mental health initiatives. Through this work, Colter gained hands-on experience at the intersection of mental health, entrepreneurship, and organizational strategy.

Danica Madan
Intern, Science & Research Initiatives

During her internship with One Mind, Danica supported several science and research initiatives, including the Rising Star Awards and the Science Leaders Program. Working with Chief Scientific Officer Tahilia Rebello, she assisted with background research, proposal organization, and communications that helped advance innovative research in brain and mental health. Her work also included preparing materials for scientific meetings, coordinating program documentation. She also helped communicate the impact of funded research while supporting the promotion of the growing community of the Rising Star scientists.

Through this experience, Danica gained insight into how research programs identify, support, and highlight promising work in neuroscience and mental health. The internship strengthened her skills in research support, program coordination, and science communication while giving her exposure to the collaborative efforts behind advancing brain health research.

Danica studies at Fordham University, where she is pursuing her undergraduate degree in neuroscience. Her experience with One Mind has deepened her curiosity about the science of the brain and strengthened her commitment to supporting research that improves mental health and wellbeing.

Maya Jotwani
Research Associate, Lived Experience Initiatives

During her time as a Research Associate with One Mind, Maya supports the expansion of the One Mind Lived Experience Initiative. Her work includes leading landscape analysis, conducting stakeholder outreach, and designing operating models for services that build lived experience councils for mental health and neuroscience technology companies. Through this work, she helps integrate the perspectives of individuals with severe mental illness into the development of innovative mental health solutions, contributes to assessing the impact of pilot programs, and supports efforts to deepen partnerships with individuals with lived experience.

Maya brings a strong academic background in neuroscience and clinical training to her role. She is currently a third-year medical student at UMass Chan Medical School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience from Pomona College. Her experience reflects a growing interest in mental health innovation, healthcare strategy, and approaches that extend beyond traditional clinical medicine.

Through her experience at One Mind, Maya continues to deepen her expertise at the intersection of medicine, mental health innovation, and lived experience integration, contributing to initiatives that advance more inclusive and impactful approaches to mental health care.

Priya Chirayil
Research Associate, Lived Experience & Workforce Research Initiatives


During their time as a Research Associate with One Mind, Priya supported research initiatives focused on workplace and workforce outcomes for individuals living with serious mental illnesses. Their work included developing a landscape analysis examining the experiences, barriers, and opportunities facing individuals with serious mental illness in professional settings. Through this work, they contributed to advancing research efforts that center health equity and improve understanding of how workplace systems can better support mental health outcomes.

Priya brings an extensive interdisciplinary research background to their role. They have nearly two decades of experience in health research, with training spanning molecular biology, epidemiology, and the social determinants of health. Priya holds master’s degrees in Epidemiology and Social Work from Columbia University, as well as a master’s degree in Virology from the University of Texas. Their experience includes research across both biological and population health sciences, with a strong focus on health equity and outcomes research.

Through their experience at One Mind, Priya continued to deepen their expertise in qualitative research and independent project leadership, contributing to initiatives that explore the intersection of mental health, workforce systems, and equitable healthcare outcomes.

Nicole Khauli
Research Associate, Rising Star Awards & Research Initiatives

During her time as a Research Associate with One Mind, Nicole supports key initiatives across the Rising Star Awards and broader research programs. Her work includes developing content for Rising Star Awards projects and media posts, contributing to impact briefs and proposals, and supporting the growth of the Rising Star Academy and related initiatives. Through this work, she helps translate complex scientific efforts into clear, compelling materials that highlight the impact of emerging leaders in brain and mental health research.

Nicole brings a strong clinical and research background to her role. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University and an MPH in Epidemiology from Columbia University. Her training includes work in global mental health, clinical care, and research implementation, as well as experience as a psychology resident at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and a postdoctoral fellow at Montefiore Medical Center.

Through her experience at One Mind, Nicole continues to deepen her expertise at the intersection of clinical psychology, research, and science communication, contributing to initiatives that elevate and support the next generation of mental health researchers.