Our Team
It Takes a Village
Promoting teen mental health is at the heart of Nourishing Minds, and it has taken a dedicated team to bring this vision to life. The individuals, libraries, and partners listed here have worked tirelessly to create a program that fosters creativity, connection, and mental wellbeing for teens. Their commitment to supporting young people has shaped Nourishing Minds into a transformative resource for libraries nationwide. We are grateful for their passion, expertise, and unwavering belief in the power of community to make a difference.
Our Team
The passionate individuals behind Nourishing Minds have worked to develop, refine, and support a program that empowers teens through creativity and meaningful conversations about mental health.
Juan Rubio
Project Director
For over two decades, Juan has developed, managed, and designed new media and technology educational programs for youth in underrepresented populations.
Luis Gonzalez
Project Manager,
The Seattle Public Library
Overseeing initiatives that enhance community engagement and library services. With a passion for Human-Centered design and public service, he ensures efficient project execution to support literacy and access to resources.
Dr. Elin Bjorling
Co-principal Investigator,
University of Washington
Specializing in research on adolescent health and human-centered design. Her work focuses on innovative interventions to improve mental well-being and stress management.
Dr. Jin Ha Lee
Co-principal Investigator,
University of Washington
Specializing in information science, digital curation, and user-centered design. Her research explores innovative ways to organize and access digital information, including media and pop culture archives.
Caitlin Martin
Evaluation
Specializes in evaluation, using data-driven insights to assess program effectiveness and impact. Her work focuses on improving outcomes through research, analysis, and strategic assessment.
I met cool people that I felt like I could talk to. It sort of changed my idea about what libraries do and I miss it already.
– Teen Participant, Seattle Public Library
I met cool people that I felt like I could talk to. It sort of changed my idea about what libraries do and I miss it already.
Cohort Libraries
Our Partners
