Meet the Team!

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Hi! I’m Sonja Xie, the Founder and Executive Director of Brain Waves for Change, and a 17-year-old based in Westchester, New York. After witnessing the stigma surrounding neurological and mental illness in my community, I was inspired to create a platform centered on awareness, education, and hands-on community engagement. Guided by my belief in youth-led advocacy, I founded Brain Waves for Change to unite young leaders around the world eager to create meaningful, lasting change. Arts & crafts have been a lifelong passion, and I now use creativity to connect with others, deliver accessible education, and help transform the landscape of neurological awareness.

RESEARCH TEAM DIRECTOR

Hi, my name is Daisy Bennett and I am the Research Team Director for BWC. I am in 11th grade and currently researching pathophysiology and treatment of schizophrenia at my school’s science research program. As part of the BWC team, I am looking forward to helping to gather good quality information that is easy for students to understand and learning more about various neurological topics. Beyond my research, I am conversational in ASL and am an officer of the American Sign Language club at my high school. I am also a wrestler for my school’s team as well as my club and love to work hard and push for the movement of women in male dominated sports.

OUTREACH DIRECTOR

I’m Adrian, a Junior at Scarsdale High School and content editor for BWC. I’m looking to help educate the next generation with this program. I play volleyball and I swim, and I enjoy painting and sculpting in my free time.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

My name is Noah Ng, and I’m a Junior at Scarsdale High School. I enjoy reading and exploring topics in science, and as the Social Media Director for BWC, I’m excited to help others learn about neuroscience and raise awareness for brain illnesses. Outside of BWC, I love playing volleyball, playing piano, and one of my favorite movies is Interstellar.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Hi!! My name is Clara Liu, I am an art director in the Brain Waves for Change organization. I am a 10th grader at Scarsdale High school. In my free time I like to create art, play the flute, dance, read, and research psychology. I’m looking forward to spreading awareness and education on neuroscience to people of all ages!

Texas, USA

Hi! My name is Avni Rajpal, and I’m a rising senior from Texas,USA. I’m passionate about leadership, service, and expanding access to meaningful educational experiences. As one of BWC’s Educational Program Directors, I help coordinate lesson-based programs and assist with proposals and scheduling. Outside of BWC, I serve as Company Commander in Navy Junior ROTC, lead several student organizations such as East Meets West and Aid4Need. I’m excited to contribute to programs that educate, inspire, and build community.

Uttarakhand, India

Hi! I’m Harleen Kaur, a recent high school graduate from Uttarakhand, India. I’m the founder of KhojXsayitIndia, a youth-led initiative focused on mental health, gender equity, and storytelling-based advocacy. My passion for emotional well-being, awareness, and community empowerment aligns deeply with Brain Waves for Change’s mission. Outside of activism, I love writing poetry, painting women’s emotions, and public speaking. This year with BWC, I’m excited to collaborate, contribute my experiences, and learn how to strengthen mental health narratives while growing with a community that truly cares.

California, USA

Hi my name is Kira I’m a senior in high school and I live in California! I love to paint, dance, and hang out with my friends at the beach. I’m super excited to be one of the Education Program Directors at BWC, can’t wait for you all to see what we have planned!

California, USA

Hello! My name is Mundi Fokwah. I am a High School Junior for the 2025-2026 school year. I live in Los Angeles, California. My passion for Brain Waves for Change is to establish a diverse booth of programs that’ll bring growth, inspiration, and exclusivity. I am also a huge disability awareness advocate, which is why I’m heavily inspired to be that voice others don’t have. Being a part of BWC, I’m looking forward to expanding education for communities, especially those in marginalized areas.

California, USA

My name is Sakshi Patil and I am a sophomore at Foothill High School in Pleasanton, California. I am passionate about neuroscience education and mental health, something that motivated me to join BWC and make a difference. Outside of school and academics, I enjoy reading and dance. This year with BWC, I’m looking forward to collaborating with the team to create engaging, easily understandable, and meaningful programs to teach people about neuroscience and brain health, because community education leads to inspiration and a change for the better. I’m also excited to learn and grow from this experience myself.  

New York, USA

Hi, I’m Sarah Kobi, a junior at Scarsdale High School. I am passionate about neuroscience and the complexities of the brain. As an Educational Program Director in Brain Waves for Change, I’m excited to educate younger students about brain health and raise awareness of neurological conditions. I’m particularly interested in Alzheimer’s Disease and am currently conducting research on the topic through the school’s science research program. Outside of school, I enjoy playing piano and reading.

New York, USA

Hi, my name is Zinia Sajjad and I am Senior at The Ursuline School.  I am from Westchester, New York.  I am interested in learning more about neurological disorders but more specifically, their social impacts on people from different locations, cultures, and more.  I am also looking to help spread awareness and improve literacy in regards to neurological conditions through BWC.  Some things I enjoy doing outside of BWC are playing volleyball, baking, and painting.

California, USA

Hi! My name is Avery and I'm a senior from Davis, California. My hobbies include running, swimming, hiking, paddleboarding, and anything else outdoors and active! One of my biggest passions is community service, which is why I applied for the role of Community Program Director. I believe that everyone can uplift their community, whether that may look like organizing large-scale events or simply giving a stranger a compliment. I'm excited to use the resources available through BWC to continue to support my community, and I feel very lucky to be able to work with a team of such creative and intelligent individuals. 

California, USA

Hi everyone! I’m Breeghit Ubeda, a senior in high school located in Los Angeles, California. My passion for neuroscience started when I conducted a year-long qualitative study focusing on stress and emotional eating. I found that my participants relied on food because it was the only thing they had control over. This sparked my interest in studying and learning more about the brain. Brain Waves for Change offers me the opportunity to educate younger generations about neuroscience and brain health in an accessible and engaging way. I look forward to bringing joy and support to those in need while building meaningful connections. 

Maharashtra, India

Hi, I'm Gaurika Chhabria, a Community Program Director for BWC. I'm a Grade 11 student from Mumbai, India. Growing up here, I've seen huge inequalities around me, and always wanted to try to help bridge that gap. I'm an aspiring psychologist, and I'm deeply passionate about mental health advocacy, community outreach, and using creativity to drive meaningful change. Outside of that, you'll probably find me binge-watching true crime documentaries, playing the violin, painting, or obsessing over Formula 1. I'm super excited to learn, connect, and destigmatize mental health!

Florida, USA

Hi! My name is Matthew Antolinez, and I’m a junior at Florida International University in Miami. I’ve played soccer since childhood, including at the collegiate level, and recently developed a passion for triathlons. I’m also deeply interested in the brain in areas like neuromodulation, neurotrauma, and neurodegenerative diseases. I’m passionate about research and supporting those affected by neurological challenges. I’m excited to help expand Brain Waves for Change into the Miami community to raise awareness and provide support for individuals and families going through tough times related to brain health. I’m proud to be part of this movement!

Texas, USA

Hi! My name is Sharvani Gandluri, and I am a junior in high school from Dallas, Texas. I am passionate about neuroscience, public health, and making science more accessible through writing and community outreach. I am the founder of Music for the Mind, a youth-led initiative that supports individuals with neurodegenerative conditions through personalized, music-based care. Outside of school, I love singing in choir, traveling, and exploring medicine through research. This year, as Community Program Director, I am excited to help launch impactful programs, build new partnerships, and make a meaningful difference through BWC.

Alberta, Canada

My name is Araina, and I’m a rising junior from Calgary, Alberta. I’m deeply passionate about neuroscience and medicine, and I believe that making neuroscience education fun and accessible is one of the best ways to spark curiosity and inspire others to explore this fascinating field. Through this experience, I hope to connect with many like-minded individuals and contribute meaningfully to the neuroscience community. Outside of academics, some of my hobbies include painting, rollerblading, and crocheting though I recently also started learning piano and ukulele

AFRICA ENGAGEMENT LEAD

Sokoto State, Nigeria

I’m Abdullateef Abdullahi Akanbi, a second-year Medical Laboratory Science student at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria. I’m passionate about mental health, One Health, and youth-driven public health education. As a UNICEF Young Leader and research entuist,advocate, I’ve contributed to community health outreach and co-developed educational tools now used in awareness campaigns. I look forward to deepening my understanding of the mind-body connection and helping break stigma through shared learning and inclusive dialogue in global countries.

NORTH AMERICA ENGAGEMENT LEAD

Florida, USA

Hi! I’m Aishani, a high school student and Global Engagement Leader passionate about neuroscience, mental health, and creating meaningful change. I love combining science with service to raise awareness and empower others, and I’m so excited to be part of BWC to help support mental wellbeing worldwide!

EUROPE ENGAGEMENT LEAD

Iaşi County, Romania

My name is Iasmina Ciocan and I am a 16 year-old upcoming sophomore living in Iaşi, Romania. I'm interested in chemistry and biology, my biggest passion being neuroscience. My hobbies include reading, learning new languages, debating, and playing tennis. I look forward to expanding my own knowledge on neuroscience, while helping spread BWC's mission to provide accessible brain health education through creative learning in my country.

SOUTH AMERICA ENGAGEMENT LEAD

São Paulo, Brazil

Hi! My name is Melyssa, I'm a 9th grade student. I'm from Brazil and I love to learn a little bit of everything, specially new languages! As part of the Global Engagement Lead of Brain Waves for Change, my mission is to share the project over Brazil and spread the health education over my community! I am really excited to start this new project and with it, show to my community that we have to talk about brain health and found new ways to solve it together!

ASIA ENGAGEMENT LEAD

Maharashtra, India

Hi! I’m Piya Punjabi, a rising junior based in Mumbai, India. I’m deeply passionate about making brain health education more accessible across cultures, especially for youth like me. Outside of BWC, I love exploring computer science, math, AI, and writing. I’m especially drawn to projects that use tech to solve global challenges. This year, I’m excited to collaborate with students and organizations across countries, helping expand BWC’s mission through creative and impactful outreach. I’d describe myself as ambitious, creative, and endlessly curious, and I can’t wait to contribute to the team!

New York, USA

Hi, my name is Maddy Nam, one of the special project co-directors for BWC. I am a 9th grader at Scarsdale High School. Through my role as director, I aim to educate younger generations on brain health and break down the hard information in the form of infographics or projects. I believe that the younger generations withhold the power to make a profound difference in our current understanding of the human body, specifically the brain. I forward this concept by visiting my old elementary school as a member of the club GEMS, where I help educate rising middle schoolers on science related topics through fun labs and projects. Beyond my passion for neuroscience, I tend to my commitment towards my synchronized ice skating team. During the eight years that I have spent on this team, I have learned the importance of working as a unit and building community. This year, I am team captain, where I have developed vital leadership skills and have been given the opportunity of taking initiative on multiple occasions.

New York, USA

My name is Abigail, and I’m a special project director for Brain Waves for Change! I’m a 10th grader who’s interested in neuroscience, and am looking forward to contributing a lot to the BWC community. BWC is an organization that’s trying to spread awareness about neuroscience, and as special project director, I hope that I can help reach out! Outside of BWC, I love spending time with my friends and going to cafes!!