Founder & Executive Director
LOCATION: NEW YORK, USA – Cecilia McGough (they/she) is a New York City-based mental health activist, nonprofit executive director at SWP, VASTS mentor at NASA Langley, keynote speaker, co-author, consultant, and pulsar astronomer through the Pulsar Science Collaboratory. Although being autistic and having schizophrenia, she refuses to let her diagnoses define her. McGough is the founder and Executive Director of the global nonprofit Students With Psychosis, a 501(c)(3) organization empowering students and advocates worldwide through community building, service, and collaboration. She also sits as an ad-hoc member on the Executive Board. She is a VASTS mentor through NASA Langley Research Center and a former Global Shaper and task force member of the World Economic Forum. In 2020 and 2022, McGough was consulted as a conference advisor for Healthevoices and served on the planning committee for the Women’s Mental Health Conference at Yale from 2022 to 2024. McGough is currently a Steering Committee Member at Headsup and Neuropsychiatry Steering Committee Member at BMS. McGough made her mark early in her career at the age of 17 by co-discovering PSR J1930-1852, which has the widest known orbit around another neutron star. This discovery opened doors, leading to her publication as a co-author in the Astrophysical Journal and representation of the United States in the International Space Olympics in Russia. McGough’s story as a radio astronomer is documented in the film “Little Green Men,” and her advocacy journey can be seen in the PBS Documentary “Mysteries of Mental Illness,” which is available for streaming on Amazon Prime. With over 45 million views, her journey has been featured in prominent media outlets such as CBS This Morning, Glamour UK, Fortune, The Boston Globe, Women’s Health Magazine, Forbes, PBS, USA Today College, Healthline, Barcroft TV, Anthony Padilla, Daily Mail, The Indian Express, Astronomy Now, NAMI, MTV University, Parade, TEDx, SBSK, WGBH, Mental Health America, Psychology Today, and more.
President, Executive Board
LOCATION: MARYLAND/WASHINGTON D.C., USA – Emeka Chima (he/him) serves as the Executive Board President for Students With Psychosis. Based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, he brings both lived experience and professional expertise to his leadership role. Diagnosed with schizophrenia and on the autism spectrum, Chima leverages his experiences to advocate for individuals affected by psychosis. Raised in a multicultural household with a mother from Washington, D.C., and a father from Nigeria, Chima offers a diverse perspective on mental health and advocacy. His journey with psychosis began at age 16 following a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and his first hospitalization. Since then, he has dedicated himself to community-building and leadership through public speaking and advocacy. Chima has spoken at institutions including Harvard Medical School, MIT, and Yale University, where he received the SWP’24 Leadership Award and at SAMHSA where he received a 2025 Live Your PosSCZible Award from SWP in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb for his efforts in raising awareness and empowering the psychosis community. He has worked as a certified Peer Support Specialist with OnTrack Maryland, a First Episode Psychosis program, using his lived experience to guide young adults and adolescents through the recovery process. As SWP Executive Board President, Chima chairs the Executive Board. The President has the following duties: the President is the chair of the Executive Committee, the President has general superintendence and direction of all other officers of this Executive Board and oversees their duties, the President, alongside the Executive Director, submits the nonprofit’s annual report for the fiscal year to the Advisory Council and members at their annual meetings.
VP Partnerships, Executive Board
LOCATION: FLORIDA, USA – Davy Yue (he/him) is a creative and mental health advocate whose lived experiences have fueled his passion for advocacy. His journey led him to connect with peers through SWP’s online programming, where he found a compelling community that helped transform his pain into purposeful action. As an Executive Board member, Yue works to enhance the organization’s strategic outreach to students grappling with psychosis, drawing from his own lived experience to advocate for others. Yue serves as a consultant and advisor to various mental health nonprofits, helping to develop system-changing projects and impactful initiatives. His ongoing collaboration with the Schizophrenia and Psychosis Action Alliance has resulted in the creation of critical resources and toolkits for those affected by psychosis. He leverages his lived expertise to empower individuals to find their own strength-based recovery paths and resilience strategies. Yue has presented engaging workshops at conferences including Active Minds, NAMICon, New Leaders Council, and as a keynote speaker at the 2024 Tennessee Healthy Transitions Summit. Additionally, Yue serves as a NextGen young adult member of the National Board of Directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). In 2022, he shared his story through numerous community educational presentations with his local NAMI affiliate in Palm Beach County, FL, earning a mini grant for his advocacy. One of Yue’s most cherished initiatives has been bringing his recovery story into local mental health hospitals, blending culturally reflective storytelling with live alto saxophone music. Yue earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science, focusing on computer science and management, from Vanderbilt University in 2020. In 2025, Yue received a 2025 Live Your PosSCZible Award from SWP in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb at the CALM NOLA “In My Mind” Event located in New Orleans. As SWP Vice President of Partnerships, Yue serves as Co-Chair of the Governance Committee and is primarily responsible for the facilitation and oversight of the development, implementation, and periodic evaluation of the organization’s Strategic Plan in collaboration with the Executive Board. Under the supervision of the Executive Director and Executive Board President, the Vice President of Partnerships shall further participate in the cultivation and management of partnerships and inter-organizational relationships that advance the mission, objectives, and strategic priorities of the organization.
VP Management, Executive Board
LOCATION: GERMANY – Kristína Janačková (she/her) is an SWP Executive Board member, writer, and mental health activist with nearly a decade of experience living in Germany. She is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Literary and Cultural Theory at the University of Tübingen, following the completion of her Bachelor’s degree in Media Studies and German Literature at the University of Freiburg. Following her diagnosis of schizophrenia, Janačková redirected her academic focus toward critical disability studies and medical humanities, with a particular interest in phenomenological inquiry into disabled embodiment and identity. In addition to her research, she actively advocates for enhanced support systems for students with psychosis in higher education. She has spoken on psychosis in both academic and public forums across Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and the United States. In 2024, she presented her research on marginalized aspects of delusional experiences at the “Delusions at the Intersection” workshop, organized by the University of Birmingham and the University of Zürich as part of the “Renewing Phenomenological Psychopathology” project. Later that year, she was a featured speaker on the Workplace & Psychosis Panel at the SWP’24 Conference at Yale University. Recognizing the systemic challenges faced by students and academics with disabilities in higher education, Janačková plans to launch the “Mad and Disability Studies Collective” at the University of Tübingen in 2025. This initiative will serve as a dedicated space for university members who identify as disabled, neurodivergent, mentally ill, mad, or chronically ill. Beyond her academic and advocacy work, Janačková is a dedicated writer specializing in poetry and creative non-fiction. Her work explores themes of migration, grief, and lived experience with psychosis. She was a writer-in-residence at the Tou Centre in Stavanger, Norway, in 2023, followed by a residency at Theatre Pôtoň in Slovakia in 2024. As SWP Vice President of Management, Janačková serves as Co-Chair of the Governance Committee and oversees and facilitate the periodic development and review of the Executive Board’s SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. The Vice President of Management ensures that feedback received through board reporting mechanisms, updates to SWOT quadrants, and requests for reasonable accommodations from Executive Board members are duly presented to the full Executive Board for consideration. The Vice President of Management does not oversee complaint filings or conflicts, which remains under the oversight of the Advisory Council in accordance with the organization’s conflict resolution and grievance procedures.
VP Administration, Executive Board
LOCATION: PHILIPPINES – Joel Luna (he/him) is a Filipino advocate living with schizophrenia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of the Philippines and an MBA from the Asian Institute of Management. Currently, he is pursuing a law degree online through the University of London, International Programmes. Luna was diagnosed with psychosis during his final year of college, a challenging experience that was followed by a diagnosis of schizophrenia before he began his MBA studies. Despite these obstacles, Luna has remained committed to his education and personal growth, now on the road to recovery. He is passionate about using his legal studies to help individuals like him gain equal opportunities and challenge the stigma surrounding schizophrenia. Luna discovered SWP through Cecilia McGough’s inspiring 2017 TEDxPSU talk, “I Am Not A Monster.” Moved by her work, he applied for an internship at SWP, and nearly three years later, he describes his experience with the organization as one of the most rewarding and meaningful of his life. The Vice President of Administration shall serve as Chair of the Nominations Subcommittee and shall act as the official liaison between the Nominations Subcommittee and Executive Board elects/nominations. As the Vice President of Administration Luna is responsible for the creation, maintenance, and oversight of the Executive Board Matrix and Executive Board membership evaluations and for the administration of all processes related to the nomination, election, onboarding, and offboarding of Executive Board members and Advisory Council members. This includes, but is not limited to, the collection, execution, and secure storage of required documents, including signed acknowledgments, consents, and other governance-related instruments as may be required by the organization’s policies and applicable laws by Executive Board members and Advisory Council members.
Treasurer, Executive Board
LOCATION: ITALY – Filomena Curcio (she/her) is an Italian medical student currently residing in Pisa, Italy. She has been an active member of the Students With Psychosis Executive Board since 2023, having joined the organization in 2021. Curcio has held the position of Vice President and has represented SWP at the Schizophrenia International Research Society Congress in both 2022 and 2024 in Florence, Italy. As Treasurer, Filomena oversees the nonprofit’s accounts. Additionally, she has traveled to New York City to speak at the SWP’23 Conference and to Yale University for the SWP’24 Conference. Living with multiple diagnoses, Curcio remains committed to the belief that her conditions do not define her. She emphasizes the importance of community for individuals living with mental health challenges. Outside of her academic and advocacy work, Curcio enjoys singing, reading, and listening to music, as well as practicing yoga and meditation. Her ultimate aspiration is to become a doctor.
Co-Secretary, Executive Board
LOCATION: AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND – Riwhi Kenny (he/him/ia) is a proud Indigenous Māori professional with whakapapa (lineage) to the iwi (tribes) of Ngāi Tahu, Te Ātiawa, and Waitaha. Born and raised in Aotearoa (New Zealand), he is deeply committed to community advocacy, with a particular focus on takatāpui (rainbow Māori) representation and mental health peer support. With extensive experience in LGBTQIA+ and trans community spaces, Kenny has engaged as a participant, volunteer, and professional, demonstrating a longstanding dedication to community-building and support services. His passion for mental health advocacy is rooted in his own lived experience, having volunteered for four years in a peer support organization after benefiting greatly from its services. He remains a strong proponent of lived experience as a driving force for change. Kenny is currently pursuing studies in Cultural Anthropology and Kaitiakitanga (Māori Resource Management) while also contributing to an organization that facilitates mental health workshops. Beyond his professional and academic commitments, Kenny is an avid creator and enthusiast of tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs), having designed 13 original games—nine of which are themed around wetlands, another area of deep personal interest. His hobbies also include reading, crochet, cooking, and curating databases of his various interests. Mana tipua, mana atua, mana takatāpui e! As Co-Secretary, they share the responsibility to record all votes and minutes of all proceedings. Alongside the President, the Co-Secretary shall make the arrangements for all meetings, including the organization’s annual meeting. As Co-Secretary, Cooper shall send notices of all meetings to the members of the Executive Board and shall take reservations for the meetings. The Co-Secretary shall perform all official correspondence from the Executive Board as prescribed by the President.
Co-Secretary, Executive Board
LOCATION: MASSACHUSETTS, USA – Kiki Cooper (they/them) is a designer-activist, organizer, and facilitator with a multidisciplinary approach to social impact and community-driven design. They hold a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from The Pennsylvania State University and are currently pursuing a Master of Landscape Architecture in Urban Design and a Master in Design Studies in Publics at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Cooper’s practice is rooted in the intersections of food security, design justice, education, community building, youth empowerment, queer identities, and mental health. Through their work with organizations such as Design As Protest, Dark Matter University, and Bruxas Bruxas, they engage in collaborative research, art, and academic initiatives to drive meaningful change. Cooper received the Sidney R. Baer Jr., Foundation Award at the SWP’24 Conference at Yale University. As Co-Secretary, they share the responsibility to record all votes and minutes of all proceedings. Alongside the President, the Co-Secretary shall make the arrangements for all meetings, including the organization’s annual meeting. As Co-Secretary, Cooper shall send notices of all meetings to the members of the Executive Board and shall take reservations for the meetings. The Co-Secretary shall perform all official correspondence from the Executive Board as prescribed by the President.
Executive Board Member
LOCATION: ARGENTINA – Luciano Bonader (he/him) is a transgender man from Jujuy, a province in Northwest Argentina. He discovered Students With Psychosis in 2020, where he found a supportive peer community that played a vital role in navigating his personal challenges. Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 2, psychosis, and ADHD in early adulthood, Bonader has experienced symptoms since childhood and has dedicated himself to understanding his mental health journey. He believes in the power of sharing lived experiences to raise awareness and inspire others, emphasizing that recovery is possible and no one is alone in their struggles. In addition to his advocacy work, Bonader is passionate about reading, creative writing, yoga, and exercising in his spare time. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, with the goal of fostering a global, open-minded, and respectful perspective on the world. Bonader first joined the Students With Psychosis Executive Board in 2021, where he served as Vice President, and he is now a returning senior member.
Executive Board Member
LOCATION: TEXAS, USA – Daniel Nepveux (he/him) is an Army Veteran and dedicated advocate with Students With Psychosis, living with PTSD, depression, and schizoaffective disorder-bipolar type with severe mania. Despite these challenges, Nepveux refuses to be defined by his mental health struggles. He is a published author of mental health-focused poetry and a musician who plays the harmonica. Nepveux is passionate about supporting others facing similar mental health challenges. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nepveux faced a life-threatening situation, being placed on life support and intubated for 21 days due to severe upper respiratory infections, including H1N1 Swine Flu. This near-death experience fueled his determination to pursue advocacy and reclaim his life. Nepveux has been interviewed twice by Chris Ulmer on the @specialbooksbyspecialkids channel, with over 19 million long-form video views combined. Grateful for his survival and resilience, Nepveux continues to find joy and purpose in life while striving to make a positive impact on others. In recognition of his advocacy and contributions, Nepveux was awarded the SWP’24 Creative Award at the SWP’24 Conference hosted at Yale University and a 2025 Live Your PosSCZible Award from SWP in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb at the NAMI Texas Conference.
Executive Board Member
LOCATION: FLORIDA, USA – Benjamin McAfee (he/him) is a public speaker and mental health educator with a focus on helping students navigate mental health challenges to successfully graduate with the support systems they need. With over ten years of experience speaking at panels and engaging with college students, doctoral students, healthcare professionals, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based communities, Benjamin is dedicated to fostering mental health awareness and education.Having experienced a psychotic episode after his freshman year at Georgetown University, Benjamin faced significant challenges in achieving success. Through trial and error, he developed systems to thrive in college and access proper healthcare, ultimately earning his undergraduate degree and succeeding professionally. His journey led to an invitation to share his story during a Mental Health Listening Tour with Demi Lovato. Benjamin is also a published writer and was featured in the award-winning BPMagazine, a leading publication for bipolar disorder. Benjamin holds a Master of Public Health from Emory University and is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Loma Linda University, specializing in Health Education with a focus on Wellness Coaching. Additionally, he has training as an academic coach through Coach Training EDU. Benjamin joined SWP in 2023 and attended the SWP’23 Conference in New York City and a familiar face in SWP virtual game nights. McAfee also currently serves on the NAMI national Executive Board.
Advisory Council Chair
LOCATION: CALIFORNIA, USA – Alejandro (Alex) Fernandez (he/him) is an entrepreneur and writer with a strong commitment to mental health advocacy. He has founded and led two venture capital-backed mental health startups, leveraging innovation to improve care. His advocacy for psychosis awareness began nearly two decades ago when his brother first exhibited symptoms of schizophrenia. Alejandro has been actively involved in nonprofit work, supporting individuals living with psychosis and their families. He played a key role in the early development and global expansion of Students With Psychosis, an organization he continues to champion. Alejandro served as an Executive Board Member for Students With Psychosis from 2018 to 2021 and Advisory Council Chair since 2021. He hopes to find more ways for people to understand and help those who live with any form of psychosis. He’s a firm believer that everyone struggling needs friends who are willing to go through darkness, at times, in order to find a path that works for them.
Advisory Council Member
LOCATION: SOUTH CAROLINA, USA – Maye Jepson (she/her) lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and along with her husband Phil, is the caregiver/TRUST PARTNER and parent of Jason Jepson who has a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. She will not rest until mental health is treated equally with physical health. Remembering the uncertain days when her family first learned of her son’s mental illness, Maye formed a Facebook support group– Parenting Thru Mental Illness, hoping to give and share resources for those who are newly entering the world of mental illness. In the past Maye has volunteered with several international boards including Stonecroft Ministries, Imago Dei Arts, and Global Partners in Hope. In addition to a Bachelor of Science degree, Maye has a master’s degree in counseling from Marshall University. She has taught hundreds of women to write their personal stories as a legacy to their families and friends. Like her son, Maye volunteers with the Share Network where she shares her perspective on mental health as a parent wanting desperately to help a young adult child maneuver the challenges of schizophrenia. Maye served as an Executive Board Member of Students With Psychosis from 2020 to 2021 and an Advisory Council Member since 2021. Maye serves on the Advisory Council of Students with Psychosis because she believes in the importance of shedding light on mental health issues from the youngest to the oldest consumer. Maye and her son Jason were Finalists for the Social Health Network’s Best Team award, and they were the recipients of the Students with Psychosis Family Advocacy Award.
Advisory Council Member
LOCATION: MISSOURI, USA – Bret Heinrich (he/him) is a nonprofit leader with 30 years of experience in the sector. With nearly a decade of service at the C-Suite level, first as Chief Development Officer at St. Andrew’s Foundation and then as President and CEO of Wings of Hope, Bret is skilled at board development, fundraising, strategic planning, and organizational leadership. Bret is a member of the University College faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where he teaches nonprofit leadership. He also teaches in the Walker School of Business and Technology at Webster University and at the Valdry Center for Philanthropy at Southern University in Baton Rouge.Bret served on the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global Board of Directors from 2014–2022 and is a Past-President of the AFP St. Louis Regional Chapter. He has held elected positions on two public school boards of education and achieved Advanced Board Member Certification through the Missouri School Boards’ Association. He is a Past-President of the Kirkwood School District Foundation and served with the Kirkwood Arts Foundation Board of Directors. Bret serves as Vice Chair on the Oasis Board of Directors in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Bret frequently appears on podcasts about nonprofit leadership and fundraising, and he has made presentations throughout the United States and abroad. Bret has a bachelor’s degree in English from Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois, and an MFA from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. In 2005, Bret earned his Certified Fundraising Executive credential. He is an ordained minister through the General Council of Christian Churches. Bret and his family reside in Kirkwood, Missouri. Bret has collaborated and worked with SWP since early 2020 by featuring Students With Psychosis as guest speakers in his nonprofit management college courses.
Advisory Council Member
LOCATION: MASSACHUSETTS, USA – Ann Shinn, MD (she/her) is a psychiatrist and researcher who works to improve the understanding and treatment of psychotic disorders. She has received federal funding to investigate the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and related psychoses using neuroimaging. She is also an investigator in the Laboratory for Early Psychosis (LEAP), where her research activities build on her prior experience as a founding co-medical director of McLean OnTrack, an intensive outpatient program specializing in the treatment of first episode psychosis. Dr. Shinn is dedicated to teaching and mentoring junior colleagues. She teaches psychiatry residents about early stages of psychosis and bipolar disorder. She is the course director of the Introduction to Clinical Psychiatry and Psychopathology course for second-year medical students in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology (HST) Program, and also serves as an MD advisor to HST medical students. In addition to conducting research and teaching, Dr. Shinn engages in editorial activities as the Psychosis Section editor for the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Ann was the recipient of the SWP’24 Academic Award and guest speaker at the SWP’24 Conference at Yale University. Ann has been a faculty member of SWP since 2022 and has an ongoing collaboration of bringing SWP into the classroom as lived experience panalists teaching students at Harvard-MIT.
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