MEET THE ExTA TEAM

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Camille McGirt

Co-Founder, CEO

Camille McGirt is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Harvard Business School. She is a former Division one basketball player who has a passion to help change athletics and the way it intertwines with mental health and tech. In her free time she enjoys traveling globally, engaging in volunteer activities with her sorority, and mentoring young women.

Camille McGirt

Doug Middleton

Co-Founder, COO

Douglas Middleton Jr. is a graduate of Appalachian State University where he was a First-Team All Conference performer. After a decorated college career, Douglas has enjoyed a career in the NFL for five years and counting! As the son of a therapist, he has always had a fervor for mental health and has spoken on behalf of the NFLPA and the state of mental health in the NFL. In his free time he enjoys developing young men through his foundation "Dream the Impossible", playing golf, and doing yoga.

Doug Middleton

Emanuel McGirt

Co-Founder, CIO

Emanuel McGirt Jr. is a graduate of North Carolina State University where he was a football player and All-ACC scholar athlete. Due to his own athletic trials and triumphs, he developed an eagerness towards developing solutions for the mental health needs of athletes. In his free time he enjoys writing blogs, reading, and watching documentaries.

Emanuel McGirt

Janzen Harding

Head of Product

Janzen Harding is a graduate of the University of Florida and Harvard Graduate School of Education. While in graduate school her focus was on the intersection of sports and education through a pedagogical and psychological lens. Her mission is to create a holistic approach to developing and supporting student athletes. She enjoys teaching Latin and coaching basketball, as well as spending time outdoors, playing sports, and discussing the intricacies of life over iced coffee.

Janzen Harding

Kyndavee Bichara

Head of University Relations

Kyndavee is a former student-athlete at Appalachian State University where she ran on the track team and majored in international business. As a former mental health advocate at her university, Kyndavee desires for all collegiate athletes to have access to the same tools and resources that she was offered. In her free time she enjoys volunteering on her campus and serves as the President of the Appalachian State University's Black Student Association and Black Student-Athlete Association, as well as volunteering with her sorority Delta Sigma Theta.

Kyndavee Bichara

ExTA'S SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. Brownell Mack

Dr. Brownell Mack has worked within the mental health field for over 20 years, he has extensive experience providing behavioral health assessment and therapy services to children and adults. His clinical competencies include diagnosis and treatment of depression, anxiety, trauma, developmental and intellectual disabilities, substance use disorders, and adjustment difficulties. He also provides services in multiple modalities (e.g., individual, family, and couples therapy). Throughout his career, he has been particularly interested in delivering person-centered care, tailoring my services to clients’ preferences, values, and unique needs. His practice of psychology is guided by principles of resilience and wellness. He constantly aims to utilize each individual’s strengths, adaptive capacities, and sources of joy and purpose to facilitate change. Dr. Mack views the practice of psychology as a privilege, an opportunity each day to unleash the unique talents and potential that exists within every person. He welcomes the chance to work with anyone interested in finding a way through life’s challenges but ultimately in learning how they can thrive amid adversity.

Dr. Brownell Mack

Dr. Simon Rego

Dr. Simon Rego is a licensed clinical psychologist with 25 years of experience in using Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and other evidence-based psychological treatments. He is a Chief Psychologist, Director of Psychology Training, and Director of the CBT Training Program at Montefiore Medical Center, the academic medical center and University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. Additionally, he serves as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, one of the nation's premier institutions for medical education, basic research and clinical investigation. Dr. Rego’s specialties include the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders (Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Phobias), as well as stress, depression, insomnia, and body focused repetitive behaviors (compulsive hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, etc.) using CBT and/or other evidence-based psychological treatments (e.g., Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Habit Reversal Training, etc.). He is a Board Certified in Cognitive Behavioral Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology, Certified in Cognitive Behavior Therapy by the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, and Certified as a Cognitive Therapy Trainer/Consultant by the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. Dr. Rego is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology, the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies, as well as a Founding Clinical Fellow of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. He is listed in the Who's Who in America and the Who's Who in Medicine Academia and was the recipient of the 2008 Award for Distinguished Early Career Psychologists by the New York State Psychological Association, the 2015 Peterson Prize from the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University, and the 2018 Jerilyn Ross Clinician Advocate Award from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Dr. Simon Rego

OUR STORY

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HERE'S WHY WE STARTED ExTA...


Our team is an integration of current and former athletes spanning from Harvard to the NFL to the NCAA. They all have a strong passion and desire to change the way mental health is viewed in athletics . ExTA was formed to totally transform the landscape of mental health in athletics, and as we continue to grow, we desire to create access to mental health resources for athletes nationwide.

THE MISSION...

Our mission is to ensure that all athletes have access to equitable mental health services without stigma. Every year athletes are put through innumerable physical assessments to test their strength, endurance, and physical health. These tests are essential for talent benchmarks but they aren't measuring athlete's potential efficacy holistically. Understanding the importance of mental health is imperative for athletic success. If athletes are not mentally equipped, prepared, or stable, their performance and life could be heavily impacted. Adequate mental health of the athlete is extremely important for personal, school and team success. ExTA is bridging the gap between athletes and mental health access.