Governance

Our Charter

We, the members of the aves Mental Health, affirm our commitment to promoting mental health and well-being worldwide. Grounded in the principles of human rights, empowerment, recovery, and peer support, we strive to create a world where individuals with lived experience of mental health conditions are valued, respected, and empowered to lead fulfilling and productive lives.

aves Mental Health Charter

Board of Management

Chairperson of the Board

Laura Van Tosh is a peer who has held policy positions at the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, University of Maryland, and the State of Oregon Health Authority. She is the founder of the Mental Health Policy Roundtable that met in Washington, D.C. and she started a local version of the policy roundtable in King County, WA. The roundtable brings newcomers and veterans of policy together in a neutral environment of learning. It is celebrating 25 years in 2023. Laura has written extensively about peer operated behavioral health care services and homelessness and has worked inside three state psychiatric hospitals. Her work is born from her experience as a patient turned activist and she has been involved with the peer movement since 1985. In December 2021, Laura was appointed to the Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN) as a Country Executive Committee Member representing the United States. She has since been named a member of the GMHPN Alumni group and is currently a Mentor.

In 2024, Laura was invited to serve as a member of the GMHPN Board of Management. Laura has been recognized for her work in the behavioral health care field over many years and in 2022, she was awarded a Lifetime Advocacy Award from the Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law. In 2023, Laura was presented with a Sally Zinman Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alliance for Rights and Recovery (formerly NYAPRS) for her leadership in advancing the recovery and rights of people with mental health and trauma-related challenges across the nation. Serves as consultant with Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute.

Laura Van Tosh (United States)

Member

Karina Stjernegaard is a Ph.D. student at the University of Southern Denmark and a Senior Consumer Academic at PsykInfo in the Zealand Region of Denmark. Karina is specialized in peer support and recovery-orientated practices within mental health services. As a researcher and consultant with lived experiences, she emphasizes social and structural factors in her approach to and definition of recovery and the important interpersonal elements in mental health in general. She is critical toward bio-medical understandings and categorizations of mental health problems and hopes to facilitate conversations and perspectives on mental health problems as problems of trauma, exclusion, stigmatization, and injustice. Karina is proudly representing Denmark in the Global Mental Health Peer Network since 2021.

Karina Stjernegaard (Denmark)

Member

Anto Agus Sugianto acknowledges his journey with the Global Mental Health Peer Network, which was driven by the aspiration to lend a voice to lived experiences and advocate for global mental health issues, nurturing the hope for meaningful change. In his view, GMHPN stands as an exemplary organization dedicated to upholding the rights and dignity of lived experiences while empowering individuals worldwide. Anto's professional trajectory boasts a rich tapestry of experiences, from volunteering for mental health initiatives since 2010 to serving on various steering committees for mental health research projects. It also brought him to actively engage with academic institutions both domestically and internationally, sharing insights as a guest lecturer and speaker on mental health issues. He received the Jim Birley Human Rights Awards, Australia Awards Scholarship and Fellowship for International Mental Health Leadership.

Beyond academia, he harnesses his artistic talents as a tool for advocacy, producing art that amplifies the voices of those affected by mental health challenges. Driven by his own lived experiences with mental health issues and having once experienced human rights violations by mental health services, he possesses a deep-seated commitment to addressing such violations. This drives his unwavering mission to effect positive change in Indonesia and beyond. He currently leverages his expertise as a mental health promotion specialist at an NGO in Indonesia while pursuing his PhD studies at the University of Manchester. His research focuses on understanding help-seeking behaviour for depression and anxiety in Indonesia, highlighting his dedication to advancing mental health outcomes and championing human rights in mental health advocacy.

Anto Agus Sugianto(Indonesia)

Member

Dr. Basma Tolba is a psychiatrist and mental health specialist based in Cairo, Egypt. With over seven years of experience in both governmental and private sectors, she has worked in various psychiatric hospitals and treatment centers, specializing in adult psychiatry, child psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, tele-psychiatry, and mental health awareness and training. Dr. Tolba is also a Harvard Medical School Associative Alumni and has received extensive training in public health with a focus on mental health. She is passionate about teaching and has provided lectures and courses on psychiatry, depression, and mental health resilience on both national and international levels. Dr. Tolba is an international speaker and has spoken at various conferences and events on topics related to mental health.

She is currently working as a Psychiatrist at the WHO Electronic Platform and General Secretariat of Mental Health and Addiction Treatment in Cairo, Egypt. Additionally, Dr. Tolba is involved in various professional organizations, including Psych station in Pakistan and the Global Mental Health Peer Network. As a person with lived experience, she also provides peer support for individuals dealing with depression.

Basma Tolba (Egypt)

Member

Rebecca Cherop is a dedicated youth leader in mental health research, advocacy, and lived experience. She collaborates with esteemed organizations like the Wellcome Trust, MQ Mental Health Research, and the Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health and Sustainable Development. As a board member on the Inaugural Africa CDC Youth Advisory Team for Health, she ensures African youth voices are represented in health strategies. An alumna of the Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy India, Rebecca advocates for quality mental healthcare for children and youth through her non-profit, ‘The Semicolon Nation’. She has authored numerous impactful articles and served on the Country Leadership Committee of the Global Mental Health Peer Network. Driven by a commitment to mental health advocacy, Rebecca envisions accessible mental healthcare for all and inspires youth involvement in this cause. Her journey highlights the power of lived experience in shaping a brighter, more inclusive future for mental health care.

Rebecca Cherop (Uganda)