Young Innovator in Behavioral Health Awardee

Karrington, a recent graduate of California State University, East Bay, made a significant impact by providing ~75 free mental health services for students at her campus. She achieved this through the student-run organization Stigma Free, which she founded to inspire her campus to normalize conversations around mental health and remind the community of their inherent self-worth through the importance of self-care. Utilizing the power of her local Bay Area community, Karrington reached out to BIPOC counselors, asking them to donate free services to East Bay students. Using the power of informatics and technology, Stigma-Free built a website for students to access reference lists of free mental health providers and abundant local resources. Karrington's initiative for public services was recognized when she won the 2022 Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Services for her motivation to advocate for more inclusive care for BIPOC students. She strives to continue to be at the forefront of behavioral health innovation and accessibility.