Leadership Team
Marie-Christine Nizzi: President
Dr. Marie-Christine Nizzi is a GSAS Alumna. She earned a first Ph.D. in Philosophy from the Sorbonne University (Paris, France), before completing her Ph.D. in Psychology at Harvard University, and her Clinical Internship in Neuropsychology at the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. At Dartmouth, she currently leads a project aiming to better support the experience of free will in paralyzed patients.
An international and interdisciplinary scientist, Dr. Nizzi builds on her multicultural experience to inform her research on the self. How do we form our identities in diverse cultural contexts? And how can we build a more resilient sense of self when facing adversity? She was named "2018 Harvard Horizons Scholar" for her work with U.S. Veterans and face-transplant recipients.
In her bilingual private practice, Precision Psychologie PLLC, Dr. Nizzi provides cutting-edge culturally and trauma-informed care, with a specialty in supporting high-achievers.
Individual Email:
marie.nizzi@harvardalumniformentalhealth.org
General Email:
Ngozi Okose: Director of Diversity, Culture, and Inclusion
Dr. Ngozi Okose is a psychotherapist, a college professor, a mental health advocate, a mentor, and a community organizer/leader.
Her professional training is interdisciplinary, spanning the broad areas of Education, French, Language Arts, Counseling and Strategic Management. Dr. Okose also has specialized training in trauma and disaster mental health, cognitive therapy, and postdoctoral training in psychological assessments. Dr. Okose obtained her post graduate degrees from the University of Ibadan, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Harvard University. She also obtained language training at Université de Nice in France.
She started her career as a core faculty member of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, taught undergraduate and post-graduate level courses in counseling, coordinated counseling programs, and provided counseling services to the university community. Dr. Ngozi Okose is currently in private practice in Houston, Texas. A multilingual with 18+ years of clinical experience in the USA, she provides counseling services to people of different life stages across all continents, including crisis counseling to expats, immigrants and refugees. With the belief that one cap does not fit all, she tailors personalized care to her diverse clients.
Dr. Okose mentors budding mental health professionals through supervision and preceptorship. She is a child advocate and a courtroom expert witness on issues of child placement and custody in the State of Texas. Dr. Okose champions mental health enlightenment programs and is a dynamic speaker on issues of mental health to diverse communities including alumni associations, youth groups, and community/social/church organizations. She also has affiliations with many professional organizations; platforms that she uses to present culturally sensitive informative papers and champion discussions on global mental health.
In her pastime she likes to sew, or enjoys activities with husband and children.
Individual Email:
ngozi.okose@harvardalumniformentalhealth.org
General Email:
culture@harvardalumniformentalhealth.org
Julie Lee: Director of Tech and Mental Health
An alumna of Harvard Graduate School of Education, Julie is a digital health strategist, clinical psychologist, and faculty. Julie’s work spans Fortune 500 companies, technology start-ups, higher education institutions, and the behavioral health sectors.
With more than two decades of experience operating at the intersection between psychology, technology, and education, Julie provides strategic consultation to digital mental health companies and also offers programs that promote wellness and engagement to healthcare, high tech and educational institutions. Her approach to people, culture, and the workplace has been implemented by companies including UFund, EMC, Boston Scientific, Deutsche Bank, and Verizon.
As a higher education leader, Julie held the position of associate dean of college at Brown University and psychologist at Harvard. Currently, she works as a consulting psychologist for medical residency programs affiliated with Brown University and is an affiliate faculty of Center for Cross-Cultural Student Emotional Wellness at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Tell her about your favorite book or your favorite travel location that is most meaningful to you. Her favorite places in MA include Cape Cod, Harvard Square, Crane Beach and Trident Booksellers and Cafe.
Individual Email:
julie.lee@harvardalumniformentalhealth.org
General Email:
Embree Thompson: Scientific Director
Embree is a graduate of Harvard College (BA ‘18, Kirkland House) where she studied Molecular and Cellular Biology and Economics. She is currently a medical student at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and hopes to pursue her passion for women’s health and the promotion of health equity for underserved populations, particularly women of generational African-American descent.
Prior to her medical school studies, Embree worked at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston as a research assistant in a gynecologic oncology quality of life lab, helping women cope with the physical, emotional, and psychological burden of cancer through digital health innovations. As an undergraduate, Embree served as a peer liaison for the Consent Advocates and Relationship Educators (CARE) group.
Talk to Embree about interdisciplinary approaches to health care, how much you miss in-person dance performances due to COVID, dance in general, journaling, your favorite Peloton instructor, book recommendations, or the last independent film you watched.
Individual Email:
embree.thompson@harvardalumniformentalhealth.org
General Email:
Charlotte Dowden: Director of Operations
Charlotte is a Harvard FAS alumna where she conducted research for the Nock Lab and additionally helps teach neuroanatomy and behavior for HSS. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2014 with a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience. Currently, Charlotte manages international clinical trials in oncology, primarily concentrating on concomitant toxicities that arise during chemoradiation therapy in head and neck cancer patients.
Charlotte's passion for mental health blossomed during her undergraduate studies where she conducted research in middle school children of underserved communities regarding the self, racial-identity, and success. This passion continued where she then worked at Massachusetts General Hospital as a the New England research coordinator for Autism Speaks, Autism Treatment Network. This allowed her to help provide best supportive care for pediatric ASD patients, community resources and programs for their families, and focus on mental health research.
Talk to Charlotte about your favorite travel destination, punk rock bands, research articles, piano, or your best local restaurant.
Individual Email:
charlotte.dowden@harvardalumniformentalhealth.org
General Email:
Adithi Jayaraman: Director of Communications
Adithi is a Sophomore at Dartmouth College where she is studying Psychology, Neuroscience, and Anthropology. She hopes to one day use her knowledge of these fields to improve the quality of life for people with mental illnesses. Her passion for mental health and drive to help those who struggle with mental illnesses are rooted in her own journey with mental health. Adithi strives to help make a world where mental health is no longer stigmatized and people with mental illnesses feel loved and supported.
In addition to being an intern at HAMH, Adithi is also a research assistant at Dartmouth’s Psychological and Brain Sciences department. She is currently working on a study that is investigating whether and to what degree memory impacts perception. She is also assisting with a study focused on assessing the quality of life and sense of agency of patients with Locked-in Syndrome.
Outside of the academic world, Adithi is dedicated to service. If she can truly help just one person, she believes she has done her job. In 2013, Adithi and her sister founded EdGift, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young women in India and the U.S. to become leaders in their communities. She also started volunteering at the Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey at the age of 4. There, she worked with children of varying ages with Cerebral Palsy, leading activities and games. Adithi’s experiences working with these inspiring children furthered her passion for service, propelling her to engage in other service opportunities, like HAHM.
In her free time, Adithi enjoys eating delicious food, watching sports events, and pranking her friends and family!
Individual Email:
adithi.jayaraman@harvardalumniformentalhealth.org
General Email:
Chris McGrory: Treasurer
Chris is an alumni of Harvard College, class of 2021, where he studied psychology and economics. Currently, he is a research assistant at the VA Boston National Center for PTSD. There, research focuses on improving psychological treatments for PTSD and depression as well as better understanding the mechanisms that underly why they work.
As an undergraduate and pitcher on the Harvard baseball team, his interest in psychology started on the mound surrounding topics of pressure, performance, and mindset. However, he quickly learned that taking care of ones mental health off the field has a direct impact on the field for himself and his teammates. Additionally, through conversations with others on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988), he learned the breadth and depth of challenges many face, and that they do not discriminate. With that, he plans to pursue clinical psychology graduate school after his current position and continue to advocate through efforts like Harvard Alumni for Mental Health.
Feel free to reach out and say hi, suggest any favorite podcast recommendations, or share new recipes you’ve tried out!
Individual Email:
chris.mcgrory@harvardalumniformentalhealth.org
General Email: