About

Our mission is empowering AANHPI community wellbeing through education, advocacy, research & services.
As the first and only organization tailored to the AANHPI community in our entire county, we envision a future where every AANHPI feels seen, heard, and empowered to thrive, where shared cultural change has destigmatized the conversation around mental health. We imagine a world in which wellness is equitably accessible and bridges built between generations provide strength, resiliency, and hope.
SPEAK stands for: a Supportive Place for Empowering Asian Americans and Kin. We chose the name "SPEAK" to give a voice to a historically invisible population.
SPEAK is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
SPEAK is a nonprofit organization started in Westchester County, New York, in 2024 after its founder discovered there was not a single mental health organization tailored to the Asian American community despite the county's rapidly growing Asian American population. This information, paired with the knowledge that Asian Americans don't like seeking help, as well as the worsening of symptoms during and after the height of the COVID19 pandemic, has led to increased concern by community members about the unmet mental health needs of Asian Americans in Westchester County.
The problem is not occurring in Westchester County alone, however - and we recognize that other communities in the United States are likely suffering the same problem. We're starting with Westchester County with the hopes of expanding in the future.
Stigma and cultural misinformation about mental health, in addition to language barriers and difficulties accessing care, all contribute to mental health underutilization and high rates of preventable mental health issues. SPEAK uses this 3-pronged approach to begin addressing the mental health needs of the Asian American community, with efforts in destigmatization, normalization of the concept of mental health, in addition to advocacy for more culturally-relevant interventions.

Meet Our Founder

S.P.E.A.K. is founded by clinical psychologist Dr. Teresa Hsu, PhD (she/hers), a second-generation Taiwanese American and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. As a former Assistant Director at Montefiore Medical Center, she helped establish one of the largest pediatric integrated behavioral health primary care programs in the nation. She believes it is essential to increase access to care and decrease barriers to treatment for marginalized populations, so her work and research focus on collaborative care, a systemic (family, neighborhood, cultural) understanding of child and adolescent mental health, prevention, and population health in diverse, historically marginalized communities. Her research has been presented nationally and published in peer-reviewed journals. She has been interviewed by The New York Times, WHYY PBS & NPR, VeryWell Family, Romper, Modern Healthcare, and NJ.com, among others. Dr. Hsu is the author of The Asian American Teen’s Mental Health Workbook: Skills for Children of Immigrants to Navigate Family and Cultural Expectations, Challenge Racism, and Celebrate Who You Are (New Harbinger Press, 2025).

Dr. Hsu attended Northwestern University, where she received her B.A. in Psychology and Piano Performance and received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from The George Washington University.

Meet Our Team

Carmen Bracho, MBA

Director of Programs & Strategic Engagement

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Victoria Chiu, PhD, LMHC, LMFT

Expert Consultant

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Nirali Patel, MD

Expert Consultant

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Yesie Yoon

Expert Consultant

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Amanda Sheu, BA

Young Visionaries Coordinator

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Sara Graham, Doctoral Student

Training & Curriculum Intern

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Amy Tsang, PhD

Grants & Development

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Jiangyuan Tan

Marketing & Program Intern

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Meet Our Board

Komala Ramachandra, JD

May Tang, MBA

Peggy Loo, PhD

Lorraine Chun

Nelly Seo, PsyD

Komala Ramachandra, JD has been a human rights advocate and lawyer for nearly two decades, promoting transparency, corporate accountability, and access to remedy for individuals and communities around the world. She is currently the Head of Human Rights and Women’s Empowerment at Gap Inc., focusing on improving respect for workers’ rights and well-being in facilities that manufacture Gap Inc. apparel globally. Prior to joining Gap Inc., Komala worked in civil society, including Human Rights Watch and Accountability Counsel, and international organisations on human rights and economic inequality, rights-based development, and social and environmental compliance. She has a BA in economics and political science from Northwestern University and a JD from Harvard Law School.
May Tang is a Risk Department head in the Supervision Group of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Trained as an electrical engineer, May has a successfully career spanning across technology and banking industry, especially with rich experience in both regulatory agencies and large banks. She holds a MBA in Finance and a bachelor degree in Engineering.
Peggy Loo, PhD is a licensed psychologist, clinical supervisor, and the founding director of Manhattan Therapy Collective, a group therapy practice in New York City. Dr. Loo earned a PhD from Columbia University in counseling psychology, where she trained in a multicultural and social justice orientation to mental health care. Dr. Loo is dedicated to the provision of multiculturally responsive therapy for AAPI adults and mentoring the next generation of clinicians.
Lorraine Chun Ng is a highly accomplished executive leader and academic professional with over two decades of experience successfully managing large-scale public health programs, securing major funding, and driving educational innovation. As Assistant Commissioner initially for the New York City Department of Mental Health, and then moved to the Westchester County Department of Health, she was instrumental in establishing the first city-wide Early Intervention Program and creating the first quality assurance programs for providers. Currently, as an Assistant Professor at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, she combines project management for capital initiatives (SimLab, Anatomage Center) with academic instruction (Health Literacy, Empathy). Lorraine has a proven track record of successfully securing grants, including funding for a virtual anatomy table, and developing a critical thinking curriculum component incorporating Artificial Intelligence. Her expertise spans public health administration, large-scale budget and team oversight, curriculum development, and medical librarianship.
Dr. Nelly Seo is a clinical psychologist whose work integrates trauma-informed, somatic, and psychodynamic approaches to support healing across the mind and body. She is passionate about exploring identity, attachment, and intergenerational trauma, particularly within Asian and Asian-American communities. She also serves to advance equity, access, and culturally responsive care within her current organization. Dr. Seo is deeply committed to destigmatizing mental health and broadening community dialogue around wellness, embodiment, and belonging. Guided by a collaborative, compassionate, and identity-affirming lens, she strives to create spaces where individuals and families feel seen, empowered, and connected to their inherent resilience.