LAUREN
Lauren is a sophomore at Penn studying bioengineering and English. She has past lived experience with social anxiety and depression, and still manages Tourette Syndrome and OCD. She does her best to tell OCD to pack its bags, while Tourette's is an accepted, eccentric cohabitant that loves saying “pop.” She often faced stigma when she was younger, and found peer spaces with individuals experiencing similar challenges crucial to her progress and well-being. As the Peer Mental Health Advocate (PMHA) coordinator, she looks forward to working with her peers to build a supportive community and accessible network for neurodivergent students. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing, hot peppermint tea, and a good Spotify playlist.
ANDREW
Andrew (Roo) Martin is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. He’s planning on making the most of his time at Penn by majoring in Physics (and maybe something else) and sub-matriculating in Physics, Robotics Engineering, and Computer Information Science. He is also a writer and a musician (he can play six different instruments). However, Roo’s greatest passion is doggos. He has two, Red and Katana, who he loves more than anything. Even more than getting degrees in STEM. Type Ayyyyyyy. Stressed to impress. Give him boops when you pass him.
EMILY
Emily Yao is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences and plans to study Communications and Science, Technology, and Society. She is a soccer and comic book enthusiast. She is also a makeup artist, a writer, and a poet; she writes under the pen name, Emiliana Young - wordvomit.etc. An advocate for mental health and a poet, she writes for The Mighty, NAMI, and Active Minds to raise awareness for media effects (specifically, the concept of “effortless perfection”) and depression/dysthymia. As one of the storytelling coordinators, she hopes to use her creative writing skills to educate people about mental illnesses and end the stigma behind them.
ELIZA
Eliza is a sophomore in the college from Denver, CO studying history and ancient history. She is the political action coordinator of Project LETS. She hopes that the organization will be a much needed safe space for discussion amongst students at Penn struggling with mental illness and that the club is able to erase the stigma that is often associated with it. She also hopes that the club is able to bring light to different treatment options and resources available to students who may be struggling with their mental health. Finally her biggest goal for participation in the club is to help students know they are not alone in struggling with mental illness and that having a mental illness is not something that needs to be hidden.
RYLEE
Rylee is a sophomore psych major and, maybe, gender studies minor. She’s from Korea, and she couldn't go a week without Korean food, which she would cook more often if she didn’t have to do the dishes. When she isn’t battling her own anxiety, depression, and hunger, Rylee likes to play chess, cuddle her dog, or go biking.
VICKI
Vicki is a sophomore from Great Neck, NY majoring in Psychology and minoring in biology. She wants to address issues of mental health stigma by encouraging more open and authentic conversations and storytelling. During her free time, Vicki enjoys brunching, traveling, and listening to music. She is also more than happy to lend a listening ear to anyone who simply wants to talk, so please do not hesitate to reach out!
KATHERINE
Yo, my name is Katherine. I'm a word nerd, and I'm in a committed relationship with both Ben and Jerry. I think my earliest memory of dealing with mental health was when I was eight or nine; I didn't understand it at the time, but the compulsions, frustration, and guilt I was experiencing was stemming from OCD. As I got older and learned more about the disorder, I was able to manage it more effectively. I also started to become more aware of my anxiety and how it manifests itself (tbh I'm still learning this). My own struggles with mental health have made me a lot me a lot more sensitive to what an issue it is, and how important it is that it gets addressed. It's also made me more aware of how to find resources, advocate for myself, and reach out when I feel incapable. TL;dr Hi I'm Katherine, I feel u fam, and you got peeps here for you.
GRACE
Grace joined Project LETS as a Storytelling Coordinator because she is very passionate about the fact that having a mental illness shouldn’t be shameful. And in case you were wondering, she’s the artist behind the portraits you see with these board member bios! She loves portraiture, but also pottery and honestly most visual art forms. She plays the baritone saxophone and her favorite color is red. Plus, Grace is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, in the Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences program. She’s majoring in physics and is currently very interested in astrophysics.
ERICA
I'm a junior and Biological Basis of Behavior major, hoping to go into medicine after graduation. I'm especially interested in studying the neurological and genetic components of mental illness development. I work at a neuropsychopharmacology lab on campus, and also teach local high school students about neuroscience as part of Penn's Neurology Pipeline program.
I love running, cooking, and doing yoga in my spare time. Ive been told I make a pretty great spaghetti and meatballs