Dr. Cruz is an Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Global Mental Health at the UNC School of Medicine. A Harvard-trained MD and EdM, she leads the Global Child Mental Health Collaborative. Her award-winning research focuses on school-based mental health interventions, supported by the Doris Duke Foundation and the NIH

A Licensed Psychologist specializing in mental health equity and brain development, Dr. Farber leads the Tealeaf NC initiative. She earned her Ph.D. from Duke University and has published extensively on traumatic stress, anxiety, and the “politics of care” in clinical practice.

An Honors Carolina Laureate with a B.S. in Biology from UNC, Keerthana is currently pursuing a Master of Biomedical Sciences at Duke University while supporting research for the Collaborative

Laura-Lee supports both the Collaborative and the UPSIDE Team at the FPG Child Development Institute. Their research focuses on youth psychopathology, gender development, and mental health interventions

Executive Director and Co-Founder of Broadleaf, Dr. Matergia is a Harvard-educated physician focused on lay-fieldworker-led health systems. He designs the community-based care models at the heart of this collaborative.

Priscilla leads the Tealeaf Mansik Swastha program in Darjeeling, India. With a Master’s in Psychiatric Social Work and training in Narrative Therapy, she has spent over eight years implementing school-based mental health programs in rural communities.

Surekha provides direct mental health support to children in rural Darjeeling. She specializes in training school principals and teachers to recognize and support child mental health needs, holding an MSW focused on Women and Children.

Arpana works directly with low-cost private schools to implement Tealeaf interventions. She brings extensive experience in community counseling and holds a Master’s in Political Science.

Expert in infectious disease and childhood obesity; former CDC Intelligence Officer focusing on resource-poor settings.

Expert in risk and resilience during humanitarian emergencies, specializing in psychosocial consequences of adversity.

Interdisciplinary scholar focusing on gender justice and sustainability in the Darjeeling tea estates.

Dr. Gregorio is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Promotion and Education at UP Manila. With 15 years of experience in health policy and adolescent mental health, he oversees the collaborative’s health leadership and governance initiatives in the region.

An expert in environmental and occupational health, Dr. Estrada’s research focuses on mental health literacy and school-based health policy. She earned her PhD from the University of the Ryukyus, Japan, where she received the University President’s Award.

Jose coordinates field research and operations for Tealeaf in the Philippines. A Magna Cum Laude graduate in Public Health from UP Manila, he focuses on improving health outcomes for underserved Filipino communities.

Marian earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree with cum laude honors from the University of the Philippines Manila. She has worked with international collaborations on research projects with topics focused on school health and is interested in work that enables communities.

Adrienne is a Research Associate for Tealeaf, Philippines. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of the Philippines Manila, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Dr. Bedural is a specialist in educational psychology and curriculum development. Her work focuses on the intersection of teacher training and mental health support within school systems. She plays a vital role in adapting the Tealeaf intervention for local contexts, ensuring that pedagogical strategies are both culturally sensitive and evidence-based. Dr. Bedural holds a PhD in Education and is dedicated to empowering educators as frontline mental health advocates.

Dr. Rungduin is a prominent Filipino psychologist and academic leader specializing in clinical and developmental psychology. With extensive experience in psychometrics and behavioral research, he provides strategic oversight on the measurement and evaluation of child mental health outcomes. He has served in key leadership roles within the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) and is a passionate advocate for developing sustainable, community-led mental health frameworks in low-resource settings.