SANTA MONICA, Calif.– Headspace Health, the provider of the world’s most accessible, comprehensive digital mental health platform, today announced the appointment of two new leaders to its executive team, Dr. Wizdom Powell as Chief Social Impact & Diversity Officer, and Jodi Bryant as Chief Commercial Officer. Dr. Powell is a psychologist, tenured professor and nationally recognized expert on racial trauma, healing and health equity. Ms. Bryant is a seasoned employee benefits executive with nearly 30 years of experience leading commercial programs at Aetna, a CVS Health Company, Putnam Investments, Mercer and Citistreet.
Integral to Headspace Health’s mission – to transform mental healthcare to improve the health and happiness of the world – is its focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B). As Chief Social Impact Officer & Diversity Officer, Dr. Powell will lead Headspace Health’s continued efforts to further incorporate DEI&B, compassionate leadership, and mental health and wellness training into the fabric of the company and workplace culture at large. In addition, she will oversee Headspace Health’s social impact work, focused on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of youth around the world through its Headspace for Teens and Headspace for Educators initiatives, as well as an array of strategic partnerships with nonprofits, government leaders and advocacy groups.
“In my work as a psychologist, in academic settings and in public policy, I’ve yet to come across an organization more uniquely poised than Headspace Health to truly democratize mental health and wellbeing support on a global scale,” said Dr. Powell. “I am honored to collaborate with this team to bridge the gap between our fragmented mental healthcare system and the millions of people around the world who are suffering in silence.”
In her work as a researcher, equity brand strategist and media contributor, Dr. Powell has notably advanced the national conversation on racial justice and mental health. Her scientific research has been covered by outlets ranging from NPR, CNN and Forbes, to The Root, Refinery29 and Ebony Magazine. She was recently named one of the 25 Essential Voices on Black Mental Health. In July, Dr. Powell will join Headspace Health from the University of Connecticut, where she has served as a tenured Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of UConn’s Health Disparities Institute. In addition to her work in the academic setting, she currently serves as chair of the American Psychological Association (APA)’s workgroup on Health Disparities in Boys and Men, as well as co-chair of the Health Committee for President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper Initiative in Durham County, NC. Dr. Powell is the recipient of numerous global recognitions, including the APA’s (d51) Distinguished Professional Award and the Rockefeller Foundation’s academic writing residency in Bellagio, Italy. She has also held fellowships with the White House, the Ford Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Aspen Institute. Dr. Powell received her Ph.D. and M.S. in Clinical Psychology and M.P.H. from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Today, Headspace Health works with over 3,500 enterprises such as Starbucks, Adobe, Delta Air Lines, and Paramount, to provide employees with access to its globally-renowned mental wellbeing and mindful living platform, Headspace for Work, and its proven, team-based virtual mental healthcare system, Ginger. On the heels of its recent merger, Headspace Health is creating a comprehensive, end-to-end platform for leadership training, mindfulness and meditation, coaching, therapy, and psychiatry to support the full mental health journey of a workforce. In leading the company’s commercial organization, Ms. Bryant will be focused on bringing this experience to employers of all sizes around the world. She will also partner closely with Katie DiPerna, Senior Vice President of Partnerships, to drive momentum with health plans and strategic partners, such as Cigna, Blue Shield of California, and Accolade.
“It’s never been more evident to me that mental health and wellness must be prioritized in the benefits strategy and go-forward plan of every employer, regardless of size or industry,” said Ms. Bryant. “I’m thrilled to join Headspace Health to help organizations around the world address the growing mental health needs of their employees, and to ultimately make the workplace a source of strength and support.”
Ms. Bryant joins Headspace Health from Aetna, a CVS Health Company, where she served as President of the company’s Professional Employer Organization (PEO) business. Prior to this role, she served as Senior Vice President of Sales, Enablement and Consultant Relations, leading the successful integration of bswift, a full-service benefits administration partner, into the Aetna family of products. Throughout her career, Ms. Bryant’s roles have ranged from sales to client relationship management and development, serving customers ranging from midsize companies to Fortune 100s. Throughout each of these experiences, she has established a strong track record of revenue and margin growth, in addition to cultivating a wealth of expertise across the benefits and consulting landscape.
Ms. Bryant joined Headspace Health on April 11, 2022. Dr. Powell will continue consulting with the organization as Creative Diversity Director, a position she has held since November 2020, until July 1, 2022, when she will join in this new capacity. She will remain a part-time faculty member of UConn School of Medicine to complete her funded grant work. Both leaders will report to Russell Glass, CEO of Headspace Health.
