AFH Wellbeing - Athletes for Hope

Athletes for Hope Wellbeing

Your mind is your strongest muscle

AFH Wellbeing is Athletes for Hope’s program dedicated to supporting mental health through the power of sports. We equip athletes with evidence-based tools, athlete-focused education, and a strong sense of community to help you care for your mind as much as your body.

By breaking stigma and encouraging open conversations, AFH Wellbeing is creating a culture where athletes at every level feel empowered to thrive — in sport and in life.

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A trusted hub for athlete mental health resources, training, and advocacy, helping athletes at every level thrive in sport and life.

Brings together athletes, advocates, and partners to advance mental health through collective action. From community events and school visits to the Athlete Mental Health Alliance, this pillar activates service, connection, and advocacy to create lasting mental health change.

Where athletes share powerful, personal stories to destigmatize mental health conversations, inspire others to seek help, and equip athletes and fans with tools and tips to prioritize wellbeing.

Student-Athlete Mental Health Week 2026

Student-Athlete Mental Health Week (SAMHW) is a national movement dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health in collegiate athletics. Every year, during the first full week of October, student-athletes, teams, and athletic departments across the country come together to wear green, share their stories, and show up for one another — because no athlete should struggle in silence.

This year, SAMHW runs October 3–10, 2026, culminating on World Mental Health Day. Athletes for Hope is proud to partner with Hilinski’s Hope to bring this week to life on campuses nationwide — equipping student-athletes with the tools, conversations, and community they need to prioritize their mental wellbeing on and off the field.

Whether you’re unboxing your SAMHW kit, completing a daily challenge, or simply wearing green — every action counts.

Athlete Mental Health Ambassadors

Athletes advocates who use their voices and lived experiences to help normalize conversations around mental health in sport. By sharing stories, engaging with communities, and promoting access to resources, ambassadors help break stigma and create supportive environments where athletes at every level feel seen, heard, and empowered.

Isaac Jean-Paul

Isaac Jean-Paul is a Paralympic high jumper and long jumper, currently training for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Isaac is also the head sprint coach for San Diego State University’s Adaptive Sports Program, as well as a published author and motivational speaker.

Isaac is passionate about raising awareness about athlete mental health, particularly through the lens of disability.

Jack Beer

Jack Beer is a professional soccer player for New York City FC II. Jack secured a national championship at Georgetown University while battling anxiety and depression. He aims to serve others through his story and mental health advocacy.

Alice Merryweather

Alice Merryweather is a World Cup Alpine Ski Racer from Hingham, MA and competed primarily in the speed events, downhill and super-G. A successful 2018 Olympics campaign cemented Alice as one of America’s top rising ski stars and a worldwide talent to watch. She retired from skiing in 2024.

Alice’s story as an athlete is headlined by a collection of personal triumphs, setbacks, and an unwavering commitment to use her platform to be an authentic and inspiring role model for all female athletes. She is passionate in speaking about her personal struggles with an eating disorder, her own mental health, and the power that sports has a healthy therapy for us all. She has gained national and international media coverage in breaking the silence in what it means to be a female athlete in one of the world’s most grueling sports. She is embarking on a path of being more than an athlete and is truly a trailblazer in the Olympic sports space. 

Aside from skiing, Alice enjoys strumming on her ukulele, hiking, and playing board games. She is a student at Dartmouth College completing her degree in Government.

Chris Paul

Chris Paul was drafted by the NFL’s Washington Commanders in 2022. Along with being a football student-athlete at The University of Tulsa, Chris Paul served as the American Athletic Conference’s National Representative (DI SAAC), as well as chaired The American’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. As a Conference, they pioneered a large mental health campaign, entitled Pow6rful Minds, geared toward ending the stigma(s) associated with mental health. Not only has this brought about awareness at base level, but has provided a wealth of information pertaining to resources on campus, tips, personal stories etc.

He says he will, “always speak up and share as much information as I can about mental health initiatives, because speaking up saves lives. Your mental health will always be as important as your physical health.”

Jenny Sichel

Jenny Sichel is a 2016 Rio Paralympic Silver Medalist in the PR3 4+, a five-time World Rowing Championship Silver Medalist, and a seven-time member of the US Rowing Para National Team. She recently made the switch from the boat to the launch and once again represented Team USA at the Tokyo Paralympics as the coach for the PR1 W1x.

When she’s not on the water, Jenny works in disability advocacy as the Operations Director for the National Council on Independent Living and is currently getting her Master’s Degree in Public Administration. She loves downhill ski racing, acting for film, and considers herself a viewer of the gold lining.

Kendall Ellis

Kendall Ellis is an American Olympic sprinter. After her distinguished collegiate career at University of Southern California, she went on to compete in the World Championships and Tokyo Olympics.During the Tokyo Olympics, she won gold for the 4x400m relay, and bronze for the mixed 4x400m. She will be competing in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

In addition to her mental health advocacy, she is passionate about mentorship and volunteering.

Manteo Mitchell

Manteo is an Olympic Silver Medalist, World and US Champion in track and field. He’s also a member of the US Bobsled team, where he’s aiming to make history by becoming just the 7th person to medal in both the Summer and Winter Games. He’d also become the very first African-American male to accomplish the feat! When he’s not chasing records, you can find him running around the world with his family. Manteo is an advocate for health and wellness. He spends most of his time away from training/competing as a motivational speaker and ambassador for many brands and causes with the youth and next generation.

AJ Pedro

AJ Pedro is a former collegiate athlete whose journey with grief, resilience, and self-discovery highlights the deep connection between mental health and performance. Drawing from his own experiences—especially navigating competition during personal loss—AJ advocates for honest conversations around athlete well-being and the importance of caring for both mind and body. As an Athlete Ambassador, he uses his voice to encourage athletes at all levels to prioritize their mental health, embrace vulnerability, and build strength beyond the scoreboard.

Danny O’Connor

Danny O’Connor is a Boston-born former Olympian and professional boxer with a record of 31–3, managed by the Dropkick Murphys. A National Golden Gloves Champion and WBC International Champion, he fought on major networks including Showtime, ESPN, and CBS Sports. After a career shaped by the demands of weight-class competition, Danny now shares his story through his bestselling memoir Weight Class, exposing the hidden realities of weight cutting and mental health in sports. Today, he is a speaker and advocate focused on helping athletes and young men better understand performance, identity, and long-term well-being.

Lindsey Sparks

Lindsey Sparks is a professional beach volleyball athlete competing on the AVP Tour and internationally on the FIVB Tour for Team USA. She played Division I beach volleyball at UCLA and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, winning an NCAA National Championship with UCLA in 2019. During her time as a Division I athlete, Lindsey witnessed how normalized disordered eating is in sport, especially among female athletes. After recovering from her own eating disorder in college, she became deeply interested in the psychological and behavioral patterns that shape our relationships with food, body, and exercise. Her work sits at the intersection of nutrition and psychology, combining lived experience with academic training. She holds a B.A. in Psychology, an M.Ed. in Transformative Coaching and Leadership from UCLA, and is currently completing an M.S. in Nutrition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. In 2026, she founded Sparking The Convo, a nutrition education company focused on helping people build healthy relationships with food, body, and exercise. Her mission is to shift the culture around food and body in sport for female athletes through preventative education. Through workshops, speaking engagements, and partnerships with schools and teams, she helps athletes develop sustainable relationships with food, body, and exercise that support both mental and physical wellbeing.

Kendall Williamson

As a safety for the Los Angeles Chargers, I’ve built my career on one principle: elite preparation leads to elite performance — on the field and off it. At Stanford, I balanced a Mechanical Engineering degree with collegiate football, earning four Pac-12 All-Academic Honors. That experience taught me to operate under pressure, think systematically, and compete where the margin for error is razor thin — a standard I carry into everything I do beyond football. Off the field, I’m building at the intersection of investing, business, and community impact — serving in advisory roles across sports, media, and athlete education, focused on creating long-term value that extends well beyond athletic achievement. I’m intentional about how I leverage my platform — open to being a genuine resource to others while seeking opportunities that align across each of those areas. I’m drawn to leaders and organizations building something with real staying power, and I bring discipline, curiosity, and a long-term lens to every conversation. At the core of it all is a desire to serve. Athletes have a unique responsibility to inspire and give back — and I’m committed to making sure my success carries meaning beyond the scoreboard.

Bella Witt

Bella Witt is a student athlete, creative, and storyteller at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she competes in track and field. As a hurdler, her journey has been shaped by resilience, perseverance, and a commitment to growth, both on and off the track. Passionate about mentorship and personal development, Bella hopes to inspire others to embrace challenges, stay authentic, and pursue their goals with confidence.

AFH Wellbeing Team

Dr. Mena Mirhom

Mena Mirhom, MD, FAPA

Chief Wellbeing Officer


Dr. Mena Mirhom is a Columbia-trained, board-certified sports psychiatrist who leads AFH Wellbeing’s mission to transform the way athletes approach mental health. He works directly with athletes and partners through panels, events, and workshops, and hosts the Hope Heroes Podcast to share stories and strategies that break stigma and build strength.

Rachel Gearhart

Rachel Gearhart

AFH Wellbeing Program Manager


Rachel Gearhart drives the day-to-day of AFH Wellbeing, where she works directly with athletes to provide resources, build community, and create programs that put mental health first. With a background in psychology and years of experience leading national mental health initiatives, Rachel is dedicated to helping athletes break stigma and thrive both in and out of sport.

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