Who we are

United for Global Mental Health is committed to improving mental health for all, so that every person, everywhere, has somewhere to turn when they need support.

How we work

Our goal is to build a world that enables good mental health for all. But for people to get the support they need, decision makers from all organisations, employers and communities need greater education around the impact of poor mental health – and convincing of how best to address it.

Guided by four areas of strategic impact (rights, education, systems and finance) our team makes the case for increased financing, influences decision-makers to deliver rights-based mental health policies, designs and supports global and national advocacy campaigns, and advises on high-level engagement, strategy and programme design.

We work with partners who share our vision for a better world, taking vital steps to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and increase avenues of support for mental health around the world

By combining our extensive in-house expertise in advocacy, financing and campaigning with the unique insights of our many partners, we’re already making progress on our mission.

Our Team

The team that makes up United for Global Mental Health is diverse, passionate, and truly representative of our global efforts. Our experts draw on the diversity of their backgrounds and experiences to enact real change in every corner of the world in partnership with a wide range of organisations.

Do you want to connect with any members of our team? Get in touch.

Image of Sarah Kline, CEO and co-founder of UnitedGMH

Sarah Kline

CEO and Co-Founder

An internationally recognised expert in mental health advocacy, previously at the World Health Organisation, World Bank, the UK government and Oxfam.
Image of Aviwe

Aviwe Funani

Senior Officer

Aviwe is passionate about mental health inclusion and youth led mental health innovations by using her role strategically help bring positive change.

Caroline Kuria

Communications Officer

Experienced in digital strategy, outreach, and advocacy. Formerly with MADE51 & 1000 Landscapes for 1 Billion people.
Image of Divya Sharma, Operations Assistant of UnitedGMH

Divya Sharma

GMHAN Officer

Experienced finance and ops professional with a masters degree in International Security.

Alessandro Massazza

Policy & Advocacy advisor

Alessandro leads the area of work on climate change, the environment, & mental health. He has a background in academia, research funding, and the UN.
Jo Harrison, Director of Communications

Jo Harrison

Director of Communications

Former BBC broadcast journalist who has previously worked for the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Oxfam, & ActionAid.
Erin image

Erin K. Ferenchick

Senior Consultant

Erin K. Ferenchick, MD is a medical anthropologist, family physician and global health advisor with a passion for mental health.

Faith Nassozi Kyateka

Communications Advisor, Policy, Advocacy & Financing

Experienced in strategic health communications and advocacy. She previously worked with Marie Stopes International (MSI) and Johns Hopkins University.
Image of James Sale, Director of Policy, Advocacy & Financing of UnitedGMH

James Sale

Deputy CEO

Health, mental health, and governance advocate, having previously worked with WHO, Transparency International, and Save the Children.
Ali Hasnain

Muhammad Ali Hasnain

Policy & Advocacy Advisor

Barrister with a background in national and regional mental health advocacy. Co-chair of the GMHAN UHC and Suicide Decriminalisation Working Groups.

Sally Houghton

Director of Fundraising

Philanthropy and relationship fundraising specialist, with experience of raising money for international charities.

Laura Gigg

Finance & Operations Coordinator

Operations Professional with experience in the Charity Sector and the National Health Service. Laura has a BA in Sociology.
Shekhar Saxena

Shekhar Saxena

Senior Advisor

Shekhar Saxena is a psychiatrist and currently professor for the practice of global mental health at Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health.

Yves Miel Zuniga

Policy & Advocacy Advisor

Yves is the co-founder of MentalHealthPH and former senior program officer in the Department of Health, Philippines.

Antonis Kousoulis

Director of Partnerships, GMHAN Secretariat lead

A public health specialist with over 10 years’ senior executive experience across the not-for-profit sector, government and academia.

Hema Arora

Consultant- Fundraising

Development Consultant with experience working with WHO, other donors and non-government organisations.

Hamdi Issa

Senior Officer – Health systems

Background in public health and academia. Experienced in designing and delivering PHC and community programmes. Previously at Somaliland MOH.

Aastha Sethi

Senior Officer, Rights and Advocacy

Policy and advocacy professional with over five years of experience working in suicide prevention, policy change, and mental health advocacy.

Our Governance

United for Global Mental Health is overseen by two groups of trustees who bring a range of expertise from around the world including: mental health policy and practice; global and national advocacy; the perspectives of people with lived experience; and the realities of those working in high, middle and/or low income countries.

Our Board oversees our wider mission and ensures we are making progress against our goals. The American Friends of United for Global Mental Health is our American Board. This group oversees our US-based activities, funding, and engagement.

United for Global Mental Health is a registered charity and a registered company in the United Kingdom, and a 501(c)(3) organisation in the United States of America.

United for Global Mental Health Board

Alan Court

Senior Advisor to the WHO Ambassador for Global Strategy and Health Financing

Babita Sharma

Broadcaster, journalist and award-winning author

Enoch Li

Founder and Managing Director of Bearapy

Professor Sir Graham Thornicroft

Psychiatrist, professor and global mental health practitioner

Neelesh Heredia

Financial Services leader, Charities trustee and advisor

Peter Yaro

Executive Director at BasicNeeds-GHANA

Samantha Brown

Global Co-Managing Partner Employment, Pensions & Incentives (UK, US & EMEA) at Herbert Smith Freehills Law Firm

American Friends of United for Global Mental Health

Dana Hovig US Board United for Global Mental Health

Dana Hovig

Consultant; Former Director at Gates Foundation and Hewlett Foundation; Former CEO of Marie Stopes International

Gabrielle Fitzgerald

Founder and CEO of Panorama

Zak Williams

Co-Founder & CEO of PYM

Pamela Collins

Bloomberg Centennial Professor and Chair, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Our Supporters

United for Global Mental Health is funded by a combination of trusts and foundations, independent philanthropists, corporate grants and bilateral governments. We remain incredibly grateful to all of our supporters.

Our Origins

United for Global Mental Health Communications Strategy

Elisha London founded United for Global Mental Health in 2017 after learning that the level of global and national investment in mental health significantly underserved the demand for support.

With a mental health crisis brewing and a lack of united global leadership driving the mental health agenda forward the first organisation to campaign for better mental health policies and increased financing at a global level was born.

Together with co-founders, Sarah Kline and Zander Woollcombe, Elisha created a network of experts, mental health campaigners, people with lived experience, trusts and foundations and the business community to better understand where support was needed, what was happening around the world, and how mental ill health could be prevented.