Meet The Team
Nicole Vana
Founder and President, Spreading The Love
I'm 27 years old and was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. I recently graduated from Georgia Southern University where I received my Master's Degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology. I love to watch Netflix (The Office in particular) or any type of sports that are on TV, hang with friends, or go on runs in my free time. I've become extremely passionate about the importance of mental health and suicide awareness, specifically within the athlete population. My hope is that one day my nonprofit contributes to improving the world of mental health through education and awareness and provides a support system for those who are struggling with mental illness and suicidal thoughts.
Juin Yeh
Writer, Spreading The Love
I’m 23 years old and from Washington state. I’m a junior in college majoring in creative writing. My hobbies include reading, writing poetry, listening to music, helping others, and spreading positivity. Over the years, I've learned from my own experiences the importance of spreading mental health awareness so that no one has to go through it feeling alone. Even as strangers, to have someone there to listen and talk to can mean so much. The more we are knowledgeable about mental health, the more we know about how to help ourselves and other people so that we can try to make a difference in another person's life.
Amelia Johnson
Writer, Spreading The Love
Abbey Smith
Writer, Spreading The Love
My name is Abbey Smith and I'm from Northern California. I am 23 years old, and I'm also a twin! I love listening to music, writing,spending time with my friends and staying active. I'm passionate about ending stigma around mental illness because it is something I've struggled with for years, and talking about how my life has been impacted from these illnesses helps me feel less alone. I hope that by being more open and talking more about mental illness, that I will inspire someone else to speak up against the stigma.
Matthew Quijas
Lead Designer, Spreading The Love
I'm Matthew Quijas from El Paso, Texas. I became interested in psychoanalysis in high school which led to my passion for psychology. I am currently pursuing my first bachelor's degree in psychology and do artwork as my part-time job!
Do you have a strong passion for mental health and have unique skills that could benefit our nonprofit? Contact us and apply to join our team here!
Hi! I am 21 years old, and I am from Cleveland, Ohio. I study music education and oboe performance at the University of Iowa. Oboe and piano are my main instruments, and I also play clarinet and tenor saxophone. I love art, books, cats, and jigsaw puzzles. I also enjoy traveling. Mental health awareness is important to me because of my personal experiences with mental illness and the effects it has on people around me as well. I hope to help those who are struggling with mental illness through my writing.