Avi Aggarwal is a recent graduate who studied Chemical Engineering and Food Science. Having immigrated to the US and having experienced mental illness both personally and as a caregiver, Avi cares deeply about mental well-being, especially among international and migrant students. Avi has served as president of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on Campus and is currently a member of JED Foundation’s Student Advisory Council for campus mental health and suicide prevention. In her next roles, Avi hopes to strengthen awareness within NC State’s alumni networks and improve mental health support among corporations.Jacki Agusta is a junior majoring in social work and minoring in Spanish. Due to personal and secondhand experiences with mental health treatment, she is very passionate about stopping the stigma surrounding mental health, and has been a Mental Health Ambassador for two years. After obtaining her MSW, she hopes to work in a residential treatment center for adolescent mental health–and dreams of having a certified therapy dog to bring to work with her!Supriya Caton is a sophomore studying Psychology and is a pre-medical student. She is a native North Carolinian from Fuquay Varina. She hopes to become a psychiatrist someday and to help stop the stigma while caring for those who suffer from mental illnesses. This is her first year in the Mental Health Ambassadors program and she has loved every moment of it. She has learned so much from her fellow ambassadors and has learned to reach out to others more. Mental Health Ambassadors has helped her realize her passion for mental health and learn how she can positively bring about real change within her communityMary Chamblee is a senior studying communication and women’s and gender studies. She became interested in the mental health ambassador program after planning NC State’s largest mental health event, You Are Not Alone, in 2016. After previous experiences with friends and her own mental health, the mental health ambassadors program seemed like the right fit. Mary works to bring a lens of intersectionality to the MHA approach surrounding mental health to fully stop the stigma. She is a huge fan of the counseling center and loves connecting students to the services they provide. Lauren Frey is a senior studying environmental sciences and women’s and gender studies with a minor in anthropology. She has served as a Movement peer educator for the Women’s Center for three years and became interested in becoming mental health ambassador because of the intersections between interpersonal violence and mental health. She is passionate about dismantling systems of oppression, de-stigmatizing mental illness, and working towards environmental sustainability. She loves her role as mental health ambassador because of the supportive community of peer educators and the ability to connect other students to important counseling services. Devrim Goktan is a junior studying Science, Technology, and Society with a concentration in International Relations & Human Values and minors in Physics, Military Studies: Aerospace Science, and Technical & Scientific Communication. As a student at NC State, Devrim has involved himself on campus as a Mental Health Ambassador for two years, a former Air Force ROTC Cadet, and as a member of various organizations such as the University Scholars Program, Arnold Air Society, Movement peer educators for the Women’s Center, and the Summer START Mentors. After graduation, Devrim hopes to complete Officer Training School and commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force where he intends to continue pursuing his passions for community service/involvement, destigmatizing mental illness, and advocating for gender equity throughout an Air Force career.Isabelle Keim is a sophomore studying human biology with a minor in psychology. She is planning on becoming an inpatient child and adolescent psychiatrist and is passionate about stopping the stigma on mental health and building self confidence, especially in young girls. Through her first year with the Mental Health Ambassadors program, she has enjoyed listening to the NC State community open up about their personal struggles and helping take an active role in promoting emotional well being.

Jessica Mattie is a senior studying social work with a minor in French. She has been a Mental Health Ambassador for two years and is very passionate about stopping the stigma surrounding mental health and advocating for a more inclusive environment on campus. She will be attending NC State for School Counselor Education starting in Summer 2017 where she will continue to work with the Mental Health Ambassadors! Claudia McDonald is a junior studying Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and minors in International Studies and Computer Programming. She is planning on staying at NCSU to complete her Masters in Analytics. This is her first year as a Mental Health Ambassador and she is enjoying the opportunities for outreach that the Counseling Center has provided. Her passion for Mental Health comes from personal experiences and the desire to help others around her become educated and start healthy conversations. 

Caroline Peterson is a junior studying psychology with a minor in social work. Caroline is also the co-president of the NAMI on campus chapter here at NC State. She is extremely passionate about stopping the stigma around mental health and starting the conversation by talking openly about her own struggles. This is Caroline’s second year as an MHA and it has only furthered her dedication in working in the mental health field. In the future she wishes to work with rehabilitation of juveniles and increasing the value of life for all people. Anna Sidoti is a sophomore studying Human Biology with intentions of minoring in Health, Medicine, and Human Values. She is planning to attend Physician Assistant school after graduation, where she will further her passion in advocating the importance of mental health. With personal connections to mental health and its associated stigmas, she hopes to reach her peers in both her Mental Health Ambassador and Resident Advisor roles in ending social stigmas and emphasizing self-care. As a first-year Mental Health Ambassador, Anna has already seen the power of peer-to-peer education and how it can impact a campus like NC State in such a positive and influential way. Emma Thompson is senior pre-medical student and native of southern Mississippi. As a future physician, she hopes to help to destigmatize mental health and foster open dialogues about issues such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. As a first year Mental Health Ambassador, Emma has cherised her time learning from fellow ambassadors and developing her own abilities as a peer educator.Sam Turner is a junior working to earn his B.S. in Biological Sciences. He is passionate about starting conversations on mental health, especially mental illness. Sam became interested in the Mental Health Ambassadors program after several personal experiences with mental illness in his friends, family, and himself. Sam is only in his first year as a mental health ambassador, but has already made plans to work as a Clinical Mental Health Counselor after graduating. Nothing makes him happier than seeing people have the strength and courage to talk openly about their struggles, no matter how big or small.