Springfield College Graduate Recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30 List

Springfield College graduate and behavioral neuroscientist Katherine Grill is dedicated to helping youth, and her commitment to assisting high school and college students with mental health support systems has earned her company, Neolth, recognition on the 2022 Forbes 30 Under 30 List in the “Education” category.

As co-founder of Neolth, Grill has worked with educators, health professionals, and more than 300 students, in developing three versions of Neolth which include: a self-guided student app, an educator platform for classroom use, and a health analytics platform for counselors and administrators.

“Something we are very proud of is the fact that we have had hundreds of high school and college students combined come through the company and help us design the apps we are offering, which has given our services a very strong retention rate,” said Grill.

Grill’s vision for Neolth came from her own personal experiences as a first-generation college student. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in art therapy from Springfield College in 2013, she went on to earn a Master of Arts in experimental and biological psychology, and Doctor of Philosophy in behavioral neuroscience from American University.

“I have always had an interest in mental health care because I remember it wasn’t really talked about much when I was in high school,” said Grill. “One way I handled my stress in high school was through art, and through a conversation at my high school, I found the art therapy program at Springfield College. I was excited because there weren’t many colleges offering this opportunity, and Springfield College seemed like a great fit for me.”

Remembering the challenges of managing the pressures of being in school, Grill remained committed to finding ways to make mental healthcare more accessible. Following her work in patient care and clinical research, she became interested in exploring the use of technology as a way to help students develop strategies and support systems that would help them deal with their stress management.

“One way to try and get rid of the stigma of reaching out for mental health help is to utilize technology,” said Grill, who focuses on personalized treatments as the future of behavioral health, with an emphasis on establishing wellness practices and habits. “It’s documented that Gen Z students are more open to reach out for mental health assistance, and having an easy-to-use app makes it that much easier to receive the assistance our youth needs. Offering cutting-edge mental health support that’s affordable, effective and fun helps manage the stress and pressure students face.”

As part of Neolth’s growth, Grill and her team continue to stress the importance of partnering with more high schools and colleges to assist school educators and counselors with mental health-guided relaxation and SEL practices made by health professionals.

Through the usage of Neolth's video library, schools will have access to educational video series and stigma-reducing student stories that can be integrated into curriculums. In addition, educators will also have access to whole-class activities, and can track students' completion rates. Neolth’s health analytics portal​ is accessible from any device and provides real-time updates about students' stress, health, and engagement.

“It has been acknowledged that we have a mental health crisis, and we want to partner with more and more educators and counselors to make sure they have the resources they need to assist our youth,” added Grill.

Instilled with helping others from her time on Alden Street as she embraced our Humanics philosophy, Grill continues to stress the importance of expanded growth within Neolth’s platform to assist educators.

“As we continue to acknowledge the mental health crisis we face as a society, we feel strongly that our team can continue to assist educators in helping our youth, using data to help make immediate referrals, it’s about helping others, and that excites our team at Neolth.”

A remote company, Neolth has team members in California, Oregon, New York and Austria.

 https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2022/education?profile=katherine-grill