When I heard we had a mental health first aid initiative I knew I wanted to get involved.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your passions and what led you to become a MHFA?

I’m the L&D lead for the Americas regions and I help lead and facilitate training programs such as The Leadership Challenge, Career Navigator, and Perspectives for Leaders. I live in Denver, Colorado, USA and have been with Hitachi Vantara for three years.

Things that I’m passionate about include spending time with my family, being in nature, coaching, exercising, and practicing Zen Buddhism.

Mental health is a very personal topic for me. In April of 2022, I lost my brother to suicide, and it shook me to the core. In the following months, I vowed to be better prepared to help someone going through a mental health crisis, which is what led me to get certified in Mental Health First Aid.

Your part of a small group of Mental Health First Aiders at Hitachi Vantara, tell us a bit about this?

When I heard that there was a Mental Health First Aid initiative at Hitachi Vantara, I immediately wanted to get involved. The more people who receive MHFA training, the better for everyone. It’s about how we can all respond to our fellow employees (and anyone for that matter) who may be experiencing poor mental health. I’d love to have discussions with employees and managers on what we can do to support the overall wellbeing of our teams.

Losing my brother to suicide was a huge impetus for me to get involved in this cause. I understand the toll that a mental health crisis can have on someone and the huge impact it can have across families.

There is still lots of stigma around mental health, how do you think Hitachi Vantara as an organization and us as employees can overcome this?

I think it boils down to two things: emotional intelligence and education. HV is already taking a noble stand for mental health and promoting it through communications and various activities. Programs that can teach how various mental health issues affect people in the workplace can do a lot to reduce stigma.

How do you ensure you take care of your own Mental Health & Wellness?

My self-care regimen includes good sleep, good diet, exercise, meditation, journaling, being in nature and helping others.