Empowering mental health awareness through storytelling

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide an open and accessible website that raises awareness and removes the stigma associated with mental health through sharing the stories of relatable people so that care is accessed sooner rather than later.

Our Vision

Our vision is to destigmatize mental health and empower individuals to seek help without shame, provide relatable stories and access to advice from experts on common mental health issues to become a go-to destination for mental health awareness.

Our Impact So Far

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Visitors
with mental health struggles coming to our website and social media channels​
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Stories
shared by people who have experienced some kind of mental health journey
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Views
on our videos across a range of topics, such as social anxiety, depression, and LGBTQ+ issues
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Volunteers
who have contributed their talents and skills to help realize our vision
We’ve also been featured in a publication.

Our Team

Our volunteers provide the momentum that helps us make a difference.

Taryn Upchurch
Taryn Upchurch

Executive Director

Dr. Seema Sehgal

Board Certified Psychiatrist

Portrait of Ruta Puranik
Ruta Puranik

Director of Operations

jacky-joa
Jacky Joa

Project Manager

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Niyati Shah

Partnership Manager

Portrait of David Healy
David Healy

Web Developer

Portrait of Cerys
Cerys

Blogger

Portrait of Mei Mei
Mei Mei

Data Analyst

Portrait of Vandana Kala
Vandana Kala

UX/Content Writer

nishan
Nishan Maharjan

Social Media Specialist

Mary Gerges

Social Media Specialist

Make an Impact with Us

Whether you are interested in joining the volunteer team or making a donation to support our work, know that every contribution matters to us.

Portrait of Roopali Rajvanshy​
Roopali Rajvanshy
Founder, CEO
Roopali Rajvanshy has been a fearless optimist at using new technologies. She has been a Web designer, Marketing Manager, Social Media expert, Social Selling guru, and Storyteller for tech companies like Cisco, IBM and VMware. She has always been motivated by taking on new challenges. Rcoz is a non-profit that is very close to her heart. Through Rcoz, she hopes to make a meaningful difference in raising awareness around mental health challenges through story sharing on an open, accessible platform.
Portrait of Jagdish Grover
Jagdish Grover
CFO
Jagdish holds a CPA, MBA and Bachelor of Law LLB degrees. He recently oversaw global corporate finance and operations for Software Consulting Company in Silicon Valley, California and has held Strategic Finance positions for a number of companies internationally with fortune- 100 companies including in Middle East and Africa. He is an author “The Impact of Strategy Selection, Goal Setting and Monitoring on Satisfaction, Performance and Intrinsic Motivation”.
Taryn Upchurch
Taryn Upchurch
Executive Director
Taryn Upchurch is the inaugural executive director at Rcoz. Prior to joining the Rcoz team, Taryn served in leadership roles in educational settings, focused on business operations, external relations, and enrollment management. Taryn holds a Master of Arts degree in Communication from Stanford University, and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. In her free time, she enjoys teaching Pilates.
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Dr. Seema Sehgal
Advisor

Dr. Seema Sehgal is a board certified Psychiatrist in Fremont, California, with over 25 years of experience workingwith an ethnically diverse population. She is keenly interested in the role of immigration and cultural stress in causing psychological distress. Dr. Sehgal donates her time to local schools and nonprofit organizations to increase awareness on a variety of mental health issues.

Portrait of Ruta Puranik
Ruta Puranik
Advisor
Ruta Puranik is a finance, operations and strategy leader with 25+ years in the Tech industry. Joining the RCOZ team offers her the opportunity to give back to the community. She is a strong believer in showing empathy and connecting with people to make this world a better place. She is inspired by the highly accomplished team at RCOZ and their positive energy to bring awareness in the mental health arena.
jacky-joa
Jacky Joa
Project Manager
During the day, Jacky is responsible for protecting users online. At night, he helps Rcoz with project management, and analytics. In his free time, he enjoys meditating, watching movies, and attending cultural events.
Portrait of Jonathan Chue
Jonathan Chue
Web Developer

Jonathan is a a technology consultant specializing in product management and systems integration. He is passionate about open-source software and finding innovative solutions to technical problems. In his spare time, he enjoys web application development and photography. He is based in Los Angeles.

niyati-shah (1)
Niyati Shah
Partnership Manager
Niyati Shah is a Career Advisor and she has helped hundreds of students over the years in shaping their careers. She has recently moved from India, where she was working with an education consulting firm. She has co-founded an NGO in India and she has great experience working with High School and College Students. Niyati has been associated with Rcoz for over a year now and she is currently managing partnerships and program development.
Portrait of David Healy
David Healy
Web Developer

Previously worked in operations management and did a coding bootcamp in July of ’22. I enjoy cooking, spending time with friends, and learning about psychology.

Portrait of Kanan Vyas
Kanan Vyas
Blogger

Kanan has a Life Science graduate from the University of Tennessee. She serves as the grant and blog writer for Rcoz. In her free time she enjoys watching movies, travelling, cooking and exercising.

Portrait of Cerys
Cerys
Blogger

Cerys is a high school student interested in psychology and researching all perspectives of a story. She writes blogs for Rcoz and enjoys reading in her free time.

Portrait of Romeo Bocala
Romeo Bocala
Outreach

Romeo is leading a normal life despite his disability with his learning and speech. He is studying at the Chabot College in California. Romeo is the YouTube editor with Rcoz. Also, he has his own three channels at YouTube. He is slowly improving his skill in editing and also working on recording stories of others.

Portrait of Mei Mei
Mei Mei
Data Analyst

Mei has a PhD in computer science and is responsible for driving insights and measuring impacts of Rcoz through data analytics. In her free time, she loves traveling, trying out new cuisines, and gaming.

anthony-gyamfi
Anthony Gyamfi
Data Analyst

Hi! My name is Anthony Gyamfi, and I’m on the Data Analyst team at RCoz. I help our team capture key data that can answer business questions and gain valuable insights. In my everyday job, I am a Sr. Technical Recruiter with 13 years of recruiting experience, mostly recruiting in life sciences, technology, and engineering. I went to the University of Miami for my undergrad, graduating with a degree in Business Management, and attended Boston University, getting my MBA and MSIS degrees. In my free time, I enjoy sports, video games, keeping up with current events, hanging out with friends and family, and watching Netflix shows.

Portrait of Vandana Kala
Vandana Kala
UX/Content Writer

As a UX/Content Writer with a background in UX design, engineering, and teaching, I bring a unique blend of skills to the team. With a passion for developing engaging, impactful content, I’m committed to supporting our organization’s mission of spreading awareness about mental health. Through clear, concise, and user-centered content, I strive to empower people to take control of their mental health and improve their overall well-being.

nishan
Nishan Maharjan
Social Media Specialist

I am a innovative and result driven student studying bachelors in Computer Science, passionate about developing user friendly software applications with excellent problem-solving skills and ability to perform well in a team. I started getting interest in computer science after the boom of the internet world. It excited me even more when I started digging up the computer science world. Beside programming I am a self taught artist.

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Mary Gerges
Social Media Specialist

Technology Savvy, self-starter IT technical specialist, Computer science graduated. Skilled in Networks, Database, and Cyber Security. Possesses first rate communications and collaboration skills to lead and work in concert with diverse groups effectively.