“How can we make mental health one, more accessible and two, actually fun for a teenager to do?” Before founding a company, before attending Stanford GSB, Ashley Edwards, MBA ’16, worked at a charter school where 90% of the students lived in poverty. It was there that she learned how deeply affected students were by the traumas in their daily experiences. Motivated to combat the stigmas around mental health within communities of color, Edwards came to Stanford GSB with a mission to change lives.

Through the Stanford course Startup Garage, Edwards started piloting early versions of MindRight Health, which provides live nonclinical mental health coaching and counseling through text messages. The tech startup aims not only to help a teen when crisis strikes, but also to be present for an adolescent’s day-to-day life and emotions. “Healing can look different for everyone,” Edwards says. “For some people that is clinical therapy and for other people that can be MindRight.”

It’s not just about the tough times, she says, but coaches are also there for teens to celebrate their wins.

“I think all of the coaches and clinicians on our team are helping us change lives. And by changing lives, you ultimately change the world, which I think happens when you have a community of people that are actually healed and are actually well.”

In this ongoing video series, we showcase Stanford GSB alumni who are striving to change lives, organizations, and the world. #changemakers