Nina vasan, MD, MBA
“I believe mental health is not just clinical, it’s foundational to how we lead, build, and belong.”
I'm Dr. Nina Vasan, a Harvard and Stanford-trained psychiatrist and faculty member at Stanford School of Medicine. My work focuses on shaping the future of mental health through research, innovation, and policy.
Mental illness is the greatest thief of human potential. I’ve made it my life’s work to change that. As a psychiatrist, educator, and innovator, I help people reclaim their well-being. From high-performing executives to the digital platforms influencing billions.
Leading the Next Era of AI-With Mental Health at the Core. As generative AI reshapes our world, I'am asking the critical question: What does it mean to have a healthy relationship with technology?
My mission is to ensure the systems we build are not only technically advanced, but also emotionally intelligent, inclusive, and safe for society. At Silicon Valley Psychiatry, we bring this mission to every patient interaction, offering cutting-edge care rooted in compassion, evidence, and deep understanding of both the human brain and the digital world we now live in.
Current Roles & Projects
Founder | Psychiatrist | Digital Health PioneerClinical Assistant Professor, Stanford PsychiatryFounder & Executive Director, Stanford Brainstorm: The Lab for Mental Health Innovation
Highlights
As the Founder and Executive Director of Brainstorm: The Stanford Lab for Mental Health Innovation, I lead one of the world’s foremost centers shaping the future of mental health, where clinical science meets Silicon Valley.
My influence spans public, private, and global sectors.
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Advised tech giants including Pinterest "Compassionate Search" TikTok (on screen-time well-being), and ML Commons (on the first mental health safety benchmarks for large language models).
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Led the creation of the Stanford GenAI Psychological Safety Plan, a visionary framework helping people navigate emotionally responsive AI with psychological safety at the center.
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Authored the Framework for Healthy AI, now informing how AI systems are designed with emotional well-being in mind.
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Directed landmark campaigns with Dove’s Real Beauty Prompt Playbook, setting new industry standards on AI and body image.
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Served as scientific advisor to organizations including Common Sense Media, The Kevin Love Fund, and The Tupac Shakur Foundation.
Celebrating the launch of Brainstorm: The Stanford Lab for Mental Health Innovation
My work
I bring together insights from patient care and research to inform and inspire the public, with over 100 bylines and media features in outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Fortune, Wired, and TechCrunch. I’ve delivered more than 100 keynotes, lectures, and peer-reviewed presentations at major conferences, and have been a featured guest on The TODAY Show, Armchair Expert, and GOOP with Gwyneth Paltrow.
I'am also the co-author of the #1 Amazon bestseller Do Good Well, hailed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus as “the primer for social innovation.”
My Journey
I’ve always believed that the mind is our most powerful asset, but also our most vulnerable. I became a psychiatrist to understand that paradox, and I built Brainstorm to solve it at scale.
Growing up as the daughter of Indian immigrants, I watched my parents sacrifice to build a life of opportunity. That spirit of service stayed with me, through Harvard, Stanford, the World Health Organization, and beyond, and shaped how I view leadership: not just as ambition, but responsibility. That’s why I work with leaders who are building our future, helping them build inner foundations that match their outer success.
"You deserve a life where your brilliance and your well-being can coexist. If you’re building something extraordinary and want to do it with clarity, strength, and care, I’d love to support you."
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With the Honorable APA President Altha J. Stewart, MD at the 2025 American Psychiatric Association Conference