Young Innovator in Behavioral Health Awardee

After graduating from Princeton, Riya ventured to India as a Fulbright Scholar, where she led a pioneering research project to create an evidence-based mental wellness app for orphan girls in India that tackled social determinants of mental health she had observed through prior work in Mumbai. Her commitment to mental health continued at the NIH, where she joined as a Digital Health Fellow. At the NIH, Riya focused on population health and closing health equity gaps, authoring a paper on the predictive accuracy of digital health monitors for tracking adolescent well-being. Her work has significantly impacted young people's mental health, including developing strategies with five schools in India, raising awareness and support, breaking down cultural taboos, and contributing to an FDA-approved app for Major Depressive Disorder. Now, Riya is furthering her leadership skills by pursuing an MBA at Wharton, focusing on advancing evidence-based mental health solutions for larger underserved populations.