We are scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators committed to changing students’ lives

 

Core Team

 

Carol Diener, PH.D., J.D., Curriculum Author, Mentor and Advisor

is a child and adolescent clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist, and attorney. Carol Diener received her Ph.D. (1979) in clinical psychology, as well as a J.D. in law (1997), from the University of Illinois, where she served as a faculty member in clinical psychology for 26 years. She has worked in areas of forensic psychology such as delinquency and child custody. She also headed a mental health worker training program at the University of Illinois, in which undergraduate students provided diverse mental health services. Dr. Diener’s clinical experience is broad, and includes work with veterans, children, and juvenile delinquents. Her masters and dissertation are highly-cited studies on a mastery orientation versus learned helplessness in children. Dr. Diener’s research experience also includes attributional style and learned helplessness, abuse and neglect, teen court, and at-risk adolescents. She lends considerable expertise to the team in terms of positive and clinical psychological interventions.

In Loving Memory - Ed Diener, PH.D., Curriculum Author, Mentor and Advisor

is one of the most highly cited psychological research scientists in the world. He was widely known as the foremost expert on well-being and happiness. He was also the world’s leading authority on measuring well-being, as well as an expert on research methods and statistics. Ed has been a professor at the universities of Utah, Virginia, and Illinois, earning major national and international awards in the psychological and behavioral sciences. He was a professor at the University of Illinois for 40 years and was a distinguished emeritus professor there. He was a professor at the University of Utah. Ed was founding president of the International Positive Psychology Association and has been president of several other scientific organizations. Dr. Diener was a Senior Scientist with the Gallup organization. His research focused on the link between well-being and income, and how employee well-being enhances organizational performance.

Sadly, Ed Diener passed away on April 27th, 2021. His impact on this world was truly extraordinary. Dr. Diener’s discoveries on well-being and happiness shifted paradigms for individuals, organizations, and governments and have made the world a better and happier place. He was an amazing mentor to the entire Webewell team, especially our students. His kindness, humility, encouragement, and wisdom have touched the lives of our team forever.

We miss you Ed, and we will carry on this piece of your remarkable legacy with fervor, honor, and a profound sense of gratitude for the impact you have had on us all!

To read more about Ed’s legacy, you can read this article in theNew York Times.

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Alexander Becraft, Founder, CEO, Facilitation Lead, Principal Investigator, MBC.

Alexander graduated summa cum laude from the University of Utah where he designed his undergraduate degree in the Bachelor of University Studies program, and completed his Masters in Business Creation. His academics included studies in psychology, mental health, and business. Alexander did his thesis work in well-being promotion and research under the guidance of his mentors Dr. Ed Diener and Dr. Marissa Diener. Alexander is currently conducting research as a principal investigator at the University of Utah. He was the recipient of the 2020 Clark and Christine Ivory Prize for Excellence in Student Leadership, one of the most prestigious leadership awards at the University of Utah. He was also awarded a Student Innovation of the Year, for 2020, in the healthcare category by the Lassonde Entrepreneurship Institute. Alexander was a Presidential Intern in the Higher Education Leadership program at the University of Utah and a Fellow in the Office of the President working on the economic mobility competition, the American Dream Ideas Challenge. Alexander has expertise in the facilitation of psycho-education well-being groups with university students. At Wasatch Crest Recovery, a drug and alcohol treatment center, Alexander designs and facilitates groups for clients relative to positive psychological interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, and meditation practices with their clinical team.

Jenalynn Sampson, Operations Consultant.

Jenalynn is focused on optimizing and relentlessly adapting to demand in the space of mental health and well-being. Between executing strategies catered to students and prioritizing the core culture of WeBeWell, Jena believes holistically in the power of preventive methods that elevate WeBeWell’s mission: Empowering people to build sustainable wellbeing and thrive. She is passionate about delivering the WeBeWell program to students; that they may explore personal well-being and find an uplifted sense of satisfaction in life.

Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business. Throughout her career, she has cultivated a diverse skill set through experiences in healthcare and technology sales. Having been a student in Utah her entire life, she has experienced first-hand challenges of advocating for solutions to address the mental health crisis in the state. The urgency to provide local and higher education systems and communities with concrete solutions is a personal and professional mission.

Ayana Amaechi, Research and Group Facilitation

Ayana Amaechi (she/her) is a University of Utah graduate with a Bachelors of Science degree in Honors Biology. Ayana was encouraged from an early point in her collegiate experience to find something that impassioned her. She discovered an interest in victims of abuse, along with abuse prevention by means of education with a mental well-being focus. She took up this interest in the far reaches of her education including volunteer work, research, academic study, and civic engagement. Most recently, Ayana served as VP of University Relations for the student at the U, and helped foster a better relationship between students, faculty, and administration alike. Ayana is just beginning medical school at the University of Washington and hopes to care for people in a medical capacity now.

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Paul F. Brown, J.D.

holds the James Lee Sorenson Presidential Chair at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business, where he is professor of Entrepreneurship and Co-Director of the school’s Masters in Business Creation graduate program. Paul is also a member of the investment committee for UVF2, a student-run impact venture fund run through the Sorenson Impact Center at the school. Prior to teaching, Paul was a managing director at Sandbox Industries in Chicago, where he cofounded and ran a $300M health care-oriented venture capital fund. Prior to that, Paul was a vice president with the national Blue Cross and Blue Shield organization and, previously, a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Paul is a director of CleanSlate Centers, QualDerm Partners, SwellCX, JQ Medical, and Cinch. He is also an advisory partner with Granite Growth Health Partners. Paul received his J.D. from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and dual bachelor’s degrees from the University of Utah.

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Courtney H. McBeth, Ed.D.

As senior vice president of Strada Impact Operations, Courtney McBeth is responsible for overseeing the operations and strategy for Strada’s research and insights, philanthropy, and policy teams. Dr. McBeth also coordinates strategy and relationship-building with institutions and employers, positioning Strada Education Network as an instrumental thought leader in transforming the postsecondary education-to-workforce system. Prior to joining Strada, Dr. McBeth served as the special assistant to the president at the University of Utah. In that role, she led university-wide strategic planning, presidential initiatives, and innovation efforts between four major research universities working to ensure the economic mobility of America’s middle class. Her background also includes managing Utah’s Eccles School of Business Sorenson social impact and data science center and developing large-scale domestic and global internship programs at the U's Hinckley Institute of Politics. McBeth, a former Academic All-American soccer player, earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Utah in political science and education, respectively. She holds a doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.

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John Barraclaugh, MBA

John Barraclough, communications advisor and board member, has a wealth of experience in corporate communications, marketing, strategic planning, brand management and employee development—in industries as diverse as entertainment, software technology, financial services and academia. He has held senior leadership positions at Novell, United Healthcare and Warner Bros. As a consultant, his clients have included HBO and Goldman Sachs. A published author, he has written instruction manuals, monographs, financial reports, and several long-form articles. as well as managing editor of two monthly periodicals. His most recent research focuses on the diffusion of innovations; microagressions and inequity in the workplace; and instructional design. His volunteer and philanthropic contributions include multiple humanitarian-aid missions throughout Central and South America and Mexico. He has served on the boards of an addiction recovery center and the homeless shelter. He also filed 117 news stories as an Olympic News Reporter for the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University, and holds a Master’s of Communications Management and Business Administration from the University of Southern California.

Nick is broadly interested in psychosocial health and well-being in high-level athletes. Within this realm, his research has two foci: (1) resilience and adversarial growth to sport stressors for high-level athletes, and (2) body image and disordered body change behaviors in high-level athletes. He has employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to answer questions in each area. Nick is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at the U, and in this role teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on health behavior change, sport psychology, body image, community-based prevention, and stress management. His research interests focus on the psychosocial health and well-being of competitive athletes, with particular interests in the areas of body image, disordered eating, resilience, and personal growth from adversity. Since 2008 he has published more than 15 scholarly journal articles and delivered over 20 presentations in these areas.

is a licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. His career has focused in the area of chemical dependency treatment and co-occurring mental health disorders. In his various roles as Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director, and Executive Clinical Director of Wasatch Crest Treatment Services he has been responsible for all aspects of daily operations and the financial success of the business. He has developed, trained, and led a team of professionals in creating a chemical dependency treatment program that offers a full continuum of care to adults struggling with addiction and other mental health disorders. He supervised all aspects of clinical programming development for residential, day treatment, intensive outpatient, and aftercare programs. Under his direction, the program received Joint Commission accreditation and implemented outcome measurement tools to strengthen the efficacy of the treatment provided.

I am a doctoral candidate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Utah, specializing in trauma, with an expected PhD completion in August 2024. I also hold an MEd in Educational Psychology from the University of Utah (May 2022) and a BS in Psychology from Washington State University Vancouver (May 2014). As a researcher, therapist, trainer, and author, I am passionate about using written expression to make complex psychological topics more accessible. My work is published in peer-reviewed journals, books, newsletters, and blogs. Following my PhD, I plan to open a private practice to provide psychotherapy and consultation services. I also aspire to write books, deliver trainings, facilitate retreats, start a podcast, and appear on talk shows. In addition to my professional pursuits, I enjoy watching K-dramas, reading WebToons, going on mindful walks, listening to music, and spending quality time with loved ones.

Elaine Prom

Elaine Prom is a Senior at the University of Utah. Studying in the Department of Humanities, Elaine is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Communication with an emphasis on strategic communication and minoring in Entrepreneurship. Elaine plans to continue her education and pursue a Master's through the Master's Business Creation program with the aspiration of having her own business one day. Raised in an oriental Cambodian grocery store, Elaine has a strong passion for food and the community. She loves working with others and coming up with impactful, creative ideas to benefit those around her or her community. Her parents have been immense role models in her life and show her how a strong work ethic can bring a dream to a reality. Elaine likes to spend her free time going on walks in nature, hiking in the mountains, or spending time with her friends, family, and animals.

Libna Noor

Libna is very passionate about mental wellness, so her field of study is focused on Psychology. She appreciates having the opportunity to be a part of this team because it helped her gain valuable insight and practices within mental well-being and has helped her learn healthy ways to manage her stress. 

Libna understands that mental well-being is a complex and multifaceted topic, but it plays an important role and affects almost all aspects of our lives. Libna aspires to grow in this field to positively impact her community and contribute to the ways mental well-being can be accessible to individuals from marginalized communities. 

She hopes to contribute to the overall well-being of individuals within her community one day by helping individuals overcome the stigma barrier and take steps to improve their mental health.