CEREBRAL - Key Persons
Alan Curtis is a Master's prepared Adult Geriatric Nurse Practitioner. His interest in mental health stems from his exposure while working at an Acute Mental Health facility in Nebraska. During that time he had 2 family members diagnosed with mental health disorders in which they have needed lifelong, but successful treatment. After attaining his Nurse Practitioner licensure he was in search of a position where he could impact the lives of men and women of all ages in the states he calls home, Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. Everyone deserves the right to mental healthcare, whether it is only needed short-term or on a longer-term basis. Alan joined Cerebral to make a difference. Please allow him to help you along your path to success.
Alden has a Master's from NYU Silver School of Social Work. He is trained in several treatment methods such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness and enjoys helping clients find what works for them in order to achieve the best outcomes. As Spanish as his second language, he has worked in many settings with extremely diverse clients regarding culture, ethnicity, gender, and disability. Alden recognizes that seeking treatment can seem intimidating; his goal as a care counselor is to take the stress out of the process to create a more streamline experience. When he's not helping his Cerebral clients, he enjoys traveling, skiing, fantasy football, watching movies, reading science fiction, and volunteering at his local animal shelter.
Alexa is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner. She began her nursing career in 2014, working as a Registered Nurse in an acute care setting. She worked as a traveling nurse for 5 years after that in several hospitals across the country. She then went on to further her education and received a Master of Science in Nursing. She has experience in cardiology, behavioral health, surgery, and public health. Her training has ignited a passion for helping others, and growing with a platform that provides easier access to mental health care for all. In her free time, she enjoys photography, hiking, and travel.
Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light. -Albus Dumbledore
Alexandra Jones Stewart, DNP is a board-certified nurse practitioner in both family medicine and psychiatric mental health. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, Alexandra worked as a registered nurse in the operating room and hospice. Her experience as nurse practitioner includes ER, urgent care, primary care, substance use disorders and general psychiatry; in which she provided care for mostly underserved and vulnerable populations in her community. In her personal time, she loves to watch reality tv shows, spend time at the horse barn and support local community events.
Alexandra is doctoral prepared in improving the quality of care through evidence-based practice for all individuals by identifying and decreasing barriers to care. Her passion directly aligns with mission of Cerebral to provide quality mental health and improve access to mental health to as many people as possible. She is ideal to assist with meeting your prescribing needs due to her intensive experience in prescribing appropriate treatment for varied mental health diagnoses. Alexandra believes the client's care is a team effort, with the client being team leader in their care. As a team, Alexandra is committed to assisting clients with reaching their optimal goal of mental wellness.
Job Titles:
- Certified Nurse Practitioner
Alexis Chaney is a board-certified nurse practitioner with experience serving all age groups. A midwest native, she attained her masters degree from University of Central Missouri after completing her undergraduate program at The University of Kansas. Alexis has over five years of nursing experience, and has had the opportunity to work in both urban and rural community settings. She believes ensuring comprehensive and collaborative mental healthcare access is an essential aspect of treating patients holistically. In her free time she enjoys meeting with her book club and teaching her dog new tricks.
Amanda Cudney has been helping patients achieve health as a certified nurse practitioner since 2015. After being a special education teacher for five years, Amanda returned to school and earned her second bachelor's degree in 2010, then pursed her master's degree. She first worked as a nurse in the operating room at a level one trauma hospital; then practiced medicine in alternative pain management, family medicine, and psychiatry. She is passionate about fostering relationships with her patients that promote healing and wholeness. She recognizes that struggling with mental health afflictions can be more debilitating than physical ailments, which drives her to find solutions for every patient's struggle. Amanda has chosen to be a part of the team at Cerebral because Cerebral gives her the opportunity to help those who might not feel comfortable with a traditional in-office treatment and desire an affordable solution. When she is not caring for others, she spends time with her husband and three boys coaching sports, teaching life skills, and navigating life's journey.
Job Titles:
- Certified Nurse Practitioner
Andrea Gold is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner and has worked in the medical field for over 20 years -- 18 years as a Registered Nurse, and over 3 years as a Nurse Practitioner. She has worked in the Emergency Room, Inpatient and Outpatient Psychiatric Care, Wound Care, and Urgent Care, treating patients of all ages. Andrea obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Regis University in Colorado and her Master's degree at Chamberlain University. Her hobbies include skiing, running, and spending time with her dogs and family.
Andres Gil is a psychotherapist who holds a Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Roosevelt University in Chicago Illinois. After being witness to the depth of human suffering within his community, Andres has always sought ways to understand the human psyche to help alleviate some of that pain. He has helped individuals with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, grief, sleep disturbances, and accepting sexuality with a non-judgmental and empathic approach. He has taught clients to build coping skills to relieve their internal turmoil by learning mindfulness, diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and cognitive restructuring. Andres uses his multicultural experience to promote mental health and emotional stability within disenfranchised communities. In his free time, he loves spending time with his two cats, discovering new music, and cheering for his favorite football team: Baltimore Ravens.
Job Titles:
- Certified Nurse Practitioner
Angelette Jackson is a board certified nurse practitioner. She became a registered nurse in 2002 and has experience in telemetry, medical surgical and progressive care units while in the hospital setting. Angelette has worked in geriatrics and primary care during her NP career. Most recently, she has worked in adult psychiatry. Her time in the hospital setting allowed her to realize the need for easy access to affordable mental health care. She is the mother of 3 sons and a wonderful cat named Landry.
Anjelique Kelsey is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner. She graduated with both her Master of Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. In addition to psychiatric care, her experience as a Nurse Practitioner includes specialization in Pediatrics and Geriatrics. She is energized by Cerebral's mission of making high-quality, holistic mental health care more affordable and efficient.
Be the light at the end of someone's tunnel, be the unexpected smile during their day. You may never know what someone is going through at any moment during their life, but you can strive to be their sunshine during their day that may help to change it.
Anna Lander achieved her Master's and Post-Masters in Nursing with honors, and is board certified as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. With over thirteen years of pledged integrity and compassionate nursing care experience, she has helped a variety of patient needs, from depression, anxiety, and OCD to Bipolar, PTSD, and eating disorders. She is a Veteran of the US Navy and understands first hand the power of just being heard.
At Cerebral, Anna aims to spread awareness of health promotion, mental health, and encourage the well-being of people, holistically, to enhance the quality of life. Even though many of us experience the same challenges, her sessions are about listening to your unique concerns, with the intent to learn about you as an individual, so that the composed treatment plan is tailored to your specific needs.
Barbara Locke is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and a board-certified Nurse Practitioner. She began her advanced practice career in internal medicine. Early in her career, she recognized the association between healthy mind and healthy body, thus developing a practice which assisted patients with diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Barbara's experience both in rural and metropolitan settings have given her firsthand knowledge of the shortage of available mental healthcare. She recognizes each person for their individuality and provides care with an understanding of this individuality. Barbara is the mother of two human children, and one human granddaughter, 2 canine children, and 1 feline. She loves family, music, antiques, and the outdoors. If she can find a concert, that's where you'll catch her!
Beatriz Ceja holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master's in Social Work. Beatriz has worked within social services in a border city, making her empathetic to multicultural issues. As a Qualified Mental Health Professional, Beatriz knows the importance of identifying goals and developing a plan to meet those goals. Beatriz's experiences include crisis intervention, domestic abuse, and case management. She works hard towards breaking the stigma around mental health. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, spoken word poetry, and watching reality television.
Benard Choi, MSN, PMHNP-BC, is a board-certified mental health Nurse practitioner licensed in multiple states. He obtained his training from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Benard has extensive experience in treating patients with various mental health disorders, depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar, addiction problems, and sleep disorders eating disorders among others. After obtaining a patient history, examining the patient, and obtaining the right diagnosis, Benard uses evidence-based practice to prescribe the appropriate medications and or with therapy in order to treat the patient. From experience, the use of both medication and appropriate psychotherapy helps to achieve the desired patient outcome. Benard's focus is based on providing holistic, evidence-based care centered on social, cultural, and preventive aspects of mental health.
Brynna Clary has a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of New Orleans. As a counselor who previously worked in New Orleans, she witnessed how transgenerational trauma, substance use, and mental health issues affect individuals internally and externally alike. Brynna's experience includes working with mandated clients through the legal system. She focuses on understanding clients' unique perspectives and stories through active listening, re-framing, and cognitive restructuring. Her mission is to make the counseling relationship an objective and open space, where clients feel safe and are able to process what is going on in their lives without fear of judgement. When she is not working, Brynna enjoys reading mystery novels, being outdoors, and eating fancy cheeses.
David Mou, M.D. M.B.A., is the Chief Executive Officer of Cerebral. He oversees the development and implementation of the company's clinical strategy and vision, including the creation of clinical protocols and the development of new products and service lines. He also leads the clinical safety and clinical quality teams to ensure that members have access to the highest quality care.
Before joining Cerebral in 2021, David was the President, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of Valera Health, a leading telepsychiatry company that has been able to decrease unnecessary hospitalizations for patients with serious mental illnesses.
David has been named Top 10 under 35 for Healthcare by LinkedIn, as well as 40 under 40 for healthcare innovation by MedTech Boston. He is a Soros Fellow, a Horatio Alger National Scholar, and a member of World Economic Forum Global Shapers. He has conducted research on how technology can help better predict and prevent suicidal behaviors. His writings have appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine and Stat News.
David completed his psychiatry residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital. He serves as the Director of the Innovations Council for Massachusetts General Hospital's Psychiatry Department. He graduated from Harvard College with a degree in neurobiology and earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
Job Titles:
- Certified Nurse Practitioner
Dr. Ahmed Badaoui is a board-certified nurse practitioner, with a doctorate in healthcare systems leadership. Before entering the nursing field, Ahmed worked extensively within his community, through local non-profits he helped found, to help foster and improve the mental well-being of the local youth and adolescents. Being proficient in multiple languages, Ahmed was able to successfully engage with new immigrants, children of immigrants, as well as lifelong Michiganders. Upon completion of his undergraduate degrees in both Nursing and Psychology, Ahmed pursued his post-graduate education by earning his masters of science in nursing, as post-masters doctorate in healthcare systems leadership. Working in the community, outpatient, as well as inpatient settings, Ahmed recognized the importance of providing access to affordable, quality mental health care no matter where a patient may be located. In his free time, Ahmed enjoys spending time with his family as well as learning new languages.
Dr. Anne Heenan has over 20 years of experience as a nurse practitioner. She is interested primarily in helping patients lead healthy and happy lives. Anne has provided care to patients in settings ranging from a remote island in Alaska to a clinic serving people challenged by homelessness, addictions, and severe mental illness in a large metropolitan area. She has also taught doctoral nursing students at universities on the West Coast. In her free time, Anne is teaching herself to play classical guitar.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Strategy and Interim Head of Product
- Vice President, Strategy & Head of Product
Eric Xavier Macias is the Vice President of Strategy and interim Head of Product at Cerebral. As the leader of the strategy teams, he oversees all future product offerings and Cerebral's international expansion efforts. As Head of Product, he oversees the Data Science, Design and Product Management teams, which are entrusted with enhancing and optimizing product offerings.
Before joining Cerebral in 2020, Eric was a Senior Engagement manager at McKinsey & Company where he served leading companies across the healthcare value chain, including major pharmaceutical companies, large insurers, healthcare regulators, pharmacy benefit managers, and retail pharmacy companies. Prior to McKinsey, he worked for Teach for America as a middle school educator.
Eric holds a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University.
As the Head of Compliance Jacqueline Kniska is responsible for advising the company toward establishing and maintaining an effective ethics and compliance program. By directing and leading risk-based compliance initiatives with the compliance team and operational compliance partners appropriate assurances can be provided to the Board of Directors and senior leaders.
Prior to joining Cerebral, Jacqueline worked to raise compliance awareness and ethical consciousness in decision making for the last 15 years in academic, medical and research settings. She served for more than a decade as the Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at Virginia Commonwealth University. Here, she created and enhanced the program in place today with her team and colleagues and routinely provided reports of progress and areas for opportunity throughout the entire institution.
Jacqueline began her compliance career in 2007 with the University's Health System, focusing on education, communication and investigations.
Jacqueline earned her B.A. in Political Science from James Madison University and her J.D. from Oklahoma City University and maintains a current CHC (certification in healthcare compliance) from the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics and an LPEC (Leading Professional in Ethics and Compliance) certification from the Ethics and Compliance Initiative (ECI). Jacqueline's always-advice to everyone is: Never. Stop. Learning.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President of Commercial and B2B
Jeff Soffen is the Senior Vice President of Commercial and B2B at Cerebral. He is responsible for building the B2B business, with a focus on partnerships, customer acquisition, customer success, marketing, product, strategy, and talent management.
Before joining Cerebral in 2021, Jeff was a founding member and Senior Vice President at Quartet Health, a healthcare technology company that connects stakeholders to improve mental health outcomes. Jeff scaled Quartet Health from an idea to a national business made up of 300+ employees with over $200M in funding. At Quartet, Jeff's previous roles spanned go-to-market strategy, product, operations, account management, business development, corporate development, M&A, and strategy.
A serial entrepreneur and passionate healthcare advocate, Jeff's additional experience includes launching and advising a range of software and technology companies, driving clinical research at the NIH, and leading healthcare investments for J.P. Morgan.
Jeff received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University.
Jessica Muse is the President of Cerebral. She oversees the company's core operations, including client and clinical support, clinical teams, capacity operations and pharmacy. Starting at Cerebral in 2020, Jessica was one of the first leaders to join the company and has helped build it from the ground up.
Before joining Cerebral, Jessica was chief operating officer at Well+Good, a health and wellness brand, where she led the company through significant growth and a successful acquisition by a publicly traded acquirer. Prior to that, she was director of strategy for the online personal finance company Bankrate. She founded AfterSteps, an end-of-life planning platform in 2011 while at business school. Prior to business school, Jessica served as Chief Marketing Officer at Aerofarms, a vertical farming technology company. She started her career in JPMorgan's technology investment banking group, where she helped start the firm's cleantech practice.
Jessica received a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University.
Kevin Oliveira Callender is Head of People at Cerebral. He is responsible for leading the company's overall people strategy and efforts to attract, develop, retain, and engage talent, while fostering an exceptional employee experience and organizational culture.
Prior to joining Cerebral 2022, Kevin was a Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG). As a lead member of BCG's People and Organization Practice, Kevin advised CHROs and other senior executives from major companies on a range of HR topics, and led over a dozen large-scale operating model transformations across industries (including tech, healthcare, and insurance). Prior to BCG, Kevin founded a boutique data consulting company and interned as a quantitative researcher at Facebook (Meta).
Kevin holds a doctorate from Yale University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Chief Information Security Officer
Sarah Hendrickson is currently the Chief Information Security Officer for Cerebral. She is a long term veteran to security and compliance across retail, luxury retail, government and healthcare industries. Sarah is an exam developer for ISC(2) and her specialities include enterprise risk management, governance, cloud security and compliance. Prior to joining Cerebral, she held executive leadership positions in security for JcPenney's, Children's Medical Center, Neiman Marcus and Gartner.
Sarah holds a bachelors in Chemistry from the University of North Texas.