Meet the Team
The people who make Appa work
Our Team
The Appa Team has a combined 25 years of research experience in mentoring and digital mental health from esteemed institutions such as Yale, Stanford, and University of California.
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Robert Miller
Co-Founder and CEO
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Dr. Katrina Roundfield
Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer
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Sean Woodruff
Co-Founder and VP of Customer Experience and Operations
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Dr. Allie Giovanelli
Clinical Research Associate
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Jennifer Benson
Director of Care Operations
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Jacqui Legard
Program Manager & Mentor
Our Advisors
Appa was created in collaboration with researchers in psychology and adolescent health from top universities.
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Dr. Keneisha Sinclair-McBride
Dr. Sinclair-McBride is a child and adolescent psychologist at Boston Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School. Her research has focused on adolescent depression, eating disorders, and bullying.
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Dr. Michelle Kaufman
Dr. Kaufman is an Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research focuses on how mentoring can promote the health of adolescents. She also explores how social factors like gender, race, sexuality, and socio-economic status contribute to health disparities.
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Dr. Matt Capriotti
Dr. Capriotti is an Associate Professor of Psychology at San Jose State University. His research focuses on neurodevelopmental conditions in children and adolescents. He also explores questions around the mental and psychical health of LGBTQ+ youth.
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Dr. Daria Kuss
Dr. Kuss is an Associate Professor in Psychology at Nottingham Trent University and an expert in how technology use affects teen mental health. Her research looks at the benefits and drawbacks of different types of technology use. She is an award-winning author and has written a manual on how to treat internet addiction.
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Dr. Claudio Rivera
Dr. Rivera is a psychologist at the Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. He specializes in adolescent and young adult medicine.
Our Partners
Appa is backed by world-class organizations and programs.
Our mentors
Appa mentors are vetted and experienced role models
Extensive Training
Accepted mentors receive extensive training from our PhD level psychology team
Background check
Every mentor is background checked as part of their interview process
College-educated
All our mentors have college degrees from 4-year universities – they understand the pressures of academics and college applications
Ongoing Supervision
Mentors have weekly mentor team calls with their Appa advisors
Overcome their own challenges
Our mentors come with their own personal life experiences and challenges that parallel what many of our teens are going through
Mental health work experience
Appa mentors are all pursuing careers in mental health and/or have a background in psychology
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Sam
High school and college had some of the greatest moments of my life but also some of the toughest. I’m so glad I began taking my mental health seriously as it has absolutely transformed my life. I want you to know that I understand the struggle. As a mentor I’m hoping that you and I can work together to learn more about ourselves and uncover our strengths, challenges, and what it means to truly be ourselves.
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Jacqui
In high school, I struggled with that cliché pressure to “fit in” and avoid bullying at all costs. I succeeded in fitting in but was left with the price of not really knowing who I was by the time graduation came along. Surrounding myself with other band kids and music geeks (I use this term with endearment) taught me how to make friends, be a part of a community, and ultimately be myself.
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Justin
Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at the age of 2, I am no stranger to the curve balls of life. I was nervous talking to girls I liked and sometimes wondered if my physical disability would make me less attractive. However, having a disability taught me that it is ok to be different. Our uniqueness is something that should be celebrated rather than looked at as a detriment that makes us weird or strange.
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Joi
As a teenager, learning to love myself was a difficult journey—especially growing up in a very strict conservative family. Leaving my hometown and moving away for college was a significant step in my journey to self-acceptance and recovery. I had the freedom to explore more about the world, who I was as a person, and became passionate about my career.
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Brenden
During middle school and high school I struggled finding where I “fit in”. I was bullied and diagnosed with ADHD. College was me mostly searching for my identity and wanting to feel a part of "something". Graduate school was challenging and fun but I was mainly trying to answer the question: Who am I?
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Jillian
While I look back fondly on high school, my perfectionism was in full swing, I was struggling with an eating disorder, and I felt so much pressure about choosing a career and getting into college. I know what it’s like to feel so much pressure, social anxiety, and concern for your future. I love being a listening ear to young people struggling with friends, relationships, family, sexuality, grief, future worries, and stress that comes with everyday life.
Help your teen find their mentor match
