About us

About Us

Leadership

Franco Pestilli
Principal Investigator
The University of Texas at Austin, USA
Damian Eke
Principal Investigator
University of Nottingham, UK
Ricardo Chavarriaga
Principal Investigator
Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Switzerland
Fernanda Tovar Moll
Principal Investigator
D’Or Institute of Research and Education (IDOR), Brazil
Amadi Ihunwo
Principal Investigator
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), South Africa
Thomas Nichols
Principal Investigator
Oxford University, UK
Kimberly Ray
Project Director
The University of Texas at Austin, USA
Amanda Nelson
Project Manager
The University of Texas at Austin, USA

Ambassadors

Eberechi Wogu
Ethics Ambassador, Africa
University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Sandra Miller
Legal Ambassador, Africa
International Law Barrister, South Africa
Uchenna Amadi-Ihunwo
Lived Experience Ambassador, Africa
Brain Wellness Initiative, South Africa
Jacqueline Mavuti
Technology Ambassador, Africa
The Aga Khan University Hospital, Kenya
Paschal Ochang
Ethics Ambassador, Europe
De Montfort University, UK
Stephanie Heyman
Legal Ambassador, Europe
Shegal Law, Belgium
Rebecca Woodcock
Lived Experience Ambassador, Europe
University of Nottingham, UK
Lyuba Zehl
Technology Ambassador, Europe
EBRAINS
Gisela Souza Castro
Ethics Ambassador, Latin America
IDOR, Brazil
Victoria Moreira Gomes da Fonseca
Legal Ambassador, Latin America
Université de Nantes, France
Martha Benevides da Costa
Lived Experience Ambassador, Latin America
Universidade do Estado da Bahia, Brazil
Ivanei Bramati
Technology Ambassador, Latin America
IDOR, Brazil
Lucy Tournas
Ethics Ambassador, North America
Institute of Neuroethics, USA
Annie Jwa
Legal Ambassador, North America
Stanford University, USA
Victor E. Olalde-Mathieu
Lived Experience Ambassador, North America
Universidad Nacional Autonoma, Mexico
James Kent
Technology Ambassador, North America
The University of Texas at Austin, USA

Advisory Board

An integral aspect of project governance is the establishment of an advisory board. Comprising seasoned experts, stakeholders, and individuals with diverse perspectives, the advisory board provides valuable insights and guidance throughout the project's lifecycle.

Name  Country  Institution 
Amy Bernard  USA  The Kavli Foundation 
Bernd Stahl  UK  De Montfort University 
Charlene Sunkel  Western Kape  Global Mental Health Peer Network 
Jack Van Horn  USA  The University of Virginia 
Paolo Maria Rossini  Italy  Università Sacro Cuore 
Pawel Swieboda  Belgium  EBRAINS 
Maryann Martone  USA  University of California San Diego 
Stephen Smith  UK  Oxford University 
Terry Jernigan  USA  University of California, San Diego 
Peter Goodhand  Canada  Ontario Institute for Cancer Research 

Funders Collective

Funders play a pivotal role in project governance as their financial support provides the necessary resources for a project's initiation, development, and sustenance. Whether sourced from governmental bodies, private investors, or grant organizations, funders align their interests with the project's objectives and anticipated outcomes.

Name Country Institution
Amy Bernard USA The Kavli Foundation
Edda (Floh) Thiels USA The National Science Foundation
Gregory Farber USA NIH/NIMH

Project Collaborators

Collaboration with project collaborators further enriches the governance landscape by capitalizing on diverse skill sets and knowledge domains. Collaborators, whether they are internal teams or external partners, bring their expertise to the table, facilitating the execution of specialized tasks and ensuring a comprehensive approach to project goals..

Name Country Institution
Anthony Hannan Australia Florey Institute
Bas Rokers USA New York University Abu Dhabi
Benjamin Baird USA The University of Texas at Austin
Carmen Valdez USA UT Austin
Carol Thompson USA Allen Institute
Cassandra Gould van Praag UK University of Oxford
Charlene Sunkel Western Kape Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN)
Clara Neppel Austria  IEEE Standards Association
Clinton Leysath USA UT Austin
Daria Robinson Switzerland GESDA
David Van Essen USA Washington University
David Winickoff International Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Eberichi Wogu Nigeria University of Port Harcourt
Edson Amaro Brazil University of São Paulo
Eduardo Garza-Villareal Mexico Institute of Neurobiology UNAM
Ernesto Fernández Polcuch   UNESCO
Fernando A. Barrios   Institute of Neurobiology UNAM
Gérard Escher Switzerland GESDA - Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator
Jack Van Horn USA The University of Virginia
Jan Bjaalie Norway University of Oslo
Jennifer Richler USA  
Kenji Doya Japan Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
Kenneth Ordu Nigeria River State University
Luis Concha Mexico National Autonomous University
Lukoye Atwoli East Africa The Aga Khan University
Marcello Ienca Switzerland EPFL (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne)
Mathew Birdsall Abrams Sweden  INCF International Neuroinformatics Coordinating Facility
Michel Thiebaut DeSchotten France Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Patrick Filima Nigeria University of Port Harcourt Neuroscience Association
Peter Bandettini   OHBM/NIH/NIMH
Robert Gropp USA  Association for Psychological Science
Russ Poldrack USA Stanford University
Sadiq Yusuf Uganda Sali International School of Fertility Medicine
Sarael Alcauter Mexico Institute of Neurobiology UNAM
Saskia de Vries USA Allen Institute
Sean Hill Canada The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Sharon Crook USA Arizona State University
Simisola Akintoye UK DeMontfort University
Tom Johnstone Australia Swinburne University of Technology