Team
Maria Pascale
Founder
Maria studied physics at Cambridge, and then continued with a master’s in neuroscience at University College London. Becoming more aware of the lack of dialogue about mental health in Romania during her undergraduate abroad, she founded the NGO hoping to contribute to creating an environment that is more open to accepting and solving mental health issues.
Dan Mirea
Project Coordinator
Dan graduated from Cambridge, then worked for almost 2 years in psychiatric research, and is now a Ph.D. student in psychology and neuroscience at Princeton. Through his activity, Dan wishes to help people better understand their own mental health and have better access to sources of help, while addressing the shortcomings in the field of mental health research in Romania.
Ioana Tonceanu
Outreach coordinator
Ioana graduated from the University of Glasgow with a degree in Psychology and went on to complete an Erasmus Mundus master’s in educational policies, which enables her to investigate the effectiveness and relevance of socio-emotional interventions in schools. She joined the team to promote mental health and the use of scientifically validated methods for cultivating self-regulation.
Lavinia Micu
PR coordinator
Lavinia is a graduate of the Faculty of Sociology, holds a master’s degree in Opinion Polls, Marketing, and Advertising and currently works in the field of market research. She believes that her academic and professional background gives her valuable skills in analysis, communication and understanding of human behavior, which she wants to use to promote mental health.
Ioana Nicolae
Service Mapping Coordinator
Ioana graduated in Psychology at the University of Bucharest, and is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Health Psychology, starting a CBT training. She currently works in the educational field and volunteers in causes related to her professional interests. She joined the team wanting to support her community and promote the evidence-based approach in applied psychology.
Maria Popescu
Support Group Coordinator
Maria graduated from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Bucharest and has a Master’s in Health Psychology. She completed her professional training in CBT and is currently a clinical psychologist. Maria wants to change the perception of mental health in society, helping people understand that asking for help is a sign of courage and not a weakness.
Luana Copaci
Volunteer
Luana studies psychology and environmental engineering, two different fields, but both close to her soul. Luana is a curious person, eager to learn more about how people think and interact. She chose to join the team willing to raise awareness of the importance of mental health and to contribute to creating a safe environment for those who need support.
Teodora Neagoe
Volunteer
Teodora is a senior at ”Gheorghe Lazăr” National College in Bucharest, currently preparing to study in the field of psychology and cognitive sciences. She stays curious about the human mind and behaviour, being actively engaged in the Mental Health for Romania project, as she wishes to bring the subject of mental health and its importance closer to people.
Larisa Dinu
Volunteer
Larisa completed a BSc in Psychology, and a Master’s in Psychiatric Research at King’s College London, and is now doing her PhD in psychology and neuroscience at King’s College London and University College London. She wishes to contribute to a better understanding of mental health difficulties and take an active role in developing psychological research in Romania.
Alessia Achim
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Alessia is currently an architecture student at UIC Barcelona. She joined the initiative because, having lived with eating disorders and depression, she wanted to directly raise awareness of mental health issues and the support available in Romania. She has a passion for helping people and does her best so that everyone feels safe with her.
Andrei Stamate
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Andrei studies communication and public relations at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication at the University of Bucharest and spends most of his free time cultivating his interest in graphic design. He joined the NGO as he wants to help build up this community in which people can talk freely about their problems.