Board of Directors

Dr. Prema Rao was inspired to found Akhila Health based on fundamental principles learned over the years through education and experience. Prema has undergraduate and graduate degrees in the life sciences and experience as a Research Scientist in the biomedical device industry with numerous publications and patents to her credit. Awareness of holistic health and its benefits led her to a doctorate program in Psychology which catalyzed her objective to bring it to the underserved population.

Dr. Rao has served in leadership roles in multiple organizations, which have been instrumental in mobilizing Akhila Health. She is excited to work with a talented and dedicated team to scale Akhila Health’s vision to bring transformational change in underserved women. Prema is grateful for the support of her loving family and finds immense satisfaction in working on Akhila Health and considers it a blessing.

Jenn has over 20 years of experience helping organizations engage and connect with customers, clients, and donors in an effort to grow, scale, and make their mission a reality. Her expertise lies in designing and implementing strategic marketing and development plans focused on customer, client, and donor experience.

Jenn believes one of the best ways to ensure long term change is to equip people of all ages with the tools, resources, and knowledge needed to confront and address life’s challenges. This passion led her to Akhila Health, where she is thrilled to be part of a team committed to helping underserved women make real, sustainable life changes.

She serves on various boards including RCF Connects (formerly Richmond Community Foundation), the Martinez Education Foundation, and Akhila Health. She served two terms on the Planned Parenthood Northern California Board and is always willing to get together and share ideas, interests, and goals.

Julie is a nationally credentialed thought leader in telehealth and higher education transforming lives through eLearning curriculum development, integrative coaching, and digital health. As Cisco LifeConnections Health Coach and Coordinator, she supported integrative care for 3000+ patients using telehealth technology in its nascent stage.

She continued making strides in mHealth as Vida Health’s Learning and Development (L&D) Lead, creating their first L&D system. Earlier on, her work in medical education as a Clinical Science Manager reached countless key opinion leaders in rheumatology, gastroenterology, dermatology, and cardiovascular disease to improve patient care. Julie’s most recent efforts include mentoring graduate students and faculty as Director of Integrative Wellness Coachingat Saybrook University.

On the health education front, Julie is a leading advocate for wellness and served as Director of Health at WholesomeOne.com, Ayurveda Co-Editor for AllThingsHealing.com, and Holistic Health Editor for the San Francisco Examiner. She is immensely pleased to be joining Akhila Health in its mission to increase holistic health awareness and empower individuals.

Paula is a former Organizational Psychology specialist turned Marketing leader whose expertise lies in growing early-stage and high-growth technology companies. For almost ten years, Paula has been scaling startups in New York City through innovative growth and integrated marketing strategies. She's also the founder of Ozzie Financial Wellness, the first digital financial planner that uses psychology to help people get their money and life together - for good.

She is passionate about using technology for the greater good, especially to improve people’s access to behavioral and financial health services. Paula brings this passion to Akhila Health where she manages the organization’s events and digital initiatives. In her free time, you can find her advocating for mental health and D&I in the workplace, traveling the world with her husband, and mentoring younger women of color in tech.

After a successful corporate career of 25+ years at Google, Microsoft and Cisco she is following her life's purpose and mission to build a better future of mindfulness and human connection as a General Partner of Wisdom Ventures Fund.  She is doing this by accelerating the growth of wellness innovation and technologies that enable human connection and compassion.

Ruchika is a Board Member and Advisor to several nonprofits that empower women living in shelters, support the mental health of at-risk students, and provide a safe home to orphaned children around the world. She advises the founders of wellness technology and conscious living startups. Ruchika is a mother to two loving kids and lives with her wonderful husband in Bay Area California.

Shrav is a management consultant and executive coach, who is also passionate about women’s health, wellbeing, and empowerment. She has 15+ years of experience leading people functions at Google, Dell, and most recently as Chief People Officer at Coursera.org.

She is an expert at scaling organizations while amplifying their mission, purpose, and culture. In her latest venture, Shrav co-founded a boutique consulting practice, People Runway, driven by a deep sense of purpose to help founders, CEOs, and leaders build organizations with strong cultures of excellence, supported by best-in-class processes, so that they are unleashed to do their best work in service to their mission and goals.

Prathima Murthy is an accomplished accounting & HR professional with twenty years of experience at startups and multinational corporations. She has helped develop and lead sound financial and accounting practices in multiple startup companies through growth phases leading to successful exits.

She has also been a trusted partner to business leaders in analysis of strategies, operational accounting and on the  financial impacts of decisions. As an HR Generalist, Prathima has been instrumental in developing HR policies & procedures and company Handbooks at startup Organizations.

Prathima has Volunteered at the Family Supportive Housing and at Ashland Free Medical Clinic in the past. She is excited to join the team at Akhila Health and to use her skills to strengthen the governance practices. She looks forward to helping the organization achieve greater success in empowering women to build a better future. Prathima enjoys reading, hiking and traveling in her spare time.

A former educator, Janet spent 19 years as a global client rep for IBM, where she founded IBM NJ’s first work/life balance initiative in 1995. Her passion led her in 2007 to found “The Professional Women's Center” in New Jersey, addressing the desire on the part of women to connect and having no facility designed to allow it. Janet continued her coaching and training work, focused on women’s empowerment, with her company, The Superbwoman, Inc., and her books, "Soul in Control: Reflections of a Reformed Superwoman" and "The Superbwoman: It’s All About the BE." Janet worked as a Talent Coach at Barclays Bank with their graduate program, and has a coaching business, Whole Person Success Coaching, designed to address the needs of persons early in their careers. She is the proud mother of 3 superb young adults and 5 adorable grandchildren.

Selene Kumin Vega, Ph.D. is a licensed psychotherapist (CA MFC #32604), workshop leader, and dancer. She's also core faculty in Saybrook University‘s  College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences where she teaches and works with dissertation students in the Mind-Body Medicine graduate program.

Selene has introduced movement and mind-body techniques to universities, hospitals, high schools, performing arts centers, and psychospiritual growth centers throughout the U.S.A. and internationally. She has been adjunct faculty at Bastyr University and JFK University, associate core faculty at Sofia University and currently supervises psychotherapists through ShineALight Counseling Center in Santa Cruz as well as independently.

She has worked closely with Stephen Gilligan for 23 years, and is currently part of the team presenting a year-long Creative Mind certification course.

Suzanne has a Bachelor's degree in Education and a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology. She maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Oakland, CA specializing in treating adults and couples. She includes transpersonal and somatic approaches in her work, and has served as faculty at the original Gestalt Institute of San Francisco, Facilitator and Approved Consultant for EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association).

Suzanne is also a certified Bioenergetic Analyst. She serves as a founding Board Member of the Ashland Free Medical Clinic located in San Lorenzo, CA, and as its Treasurer.  In her free time, Suzanne enjoys gardening, loving her Shih-Tzu, spending time with her local grand-nephews, and hiking.