Since introducing Ash to the world in July, we’ve been humbled by the overwhelming response from people seeking meaningful, human-centered support for their mental health. Built on Slingshot AI’s foundational model for psychology, Ash represents a new generation of technology—one designed not to replace human connection, but to strengthen it.

Every day, we’re seeing how responsible, psychologically informed AI can meet people where they are, offering comfort, clarity, and companionship when it’s needed most. This early momentum reaffirms our belief that AI, when grounded in science and guided by empathy, can help bridge the world’s most urgent mental health gaps.

To continue expanding access to safe, reliable, and effective mental health support, we’re welcoming new leaders to our team. These executives and advisors bring impressive technical backgrounds and a deep dedication to our mission, and together they will help us pioneer the next chapter of Ash by Slingshot AI.

Josh Hsu, General Counsel

Josh Hsu joins us as General Counsel to continue advancing Slingshot AI’s high standards of legal and ethical responsibility in promoting the transparent development of AI for mental health. He’ll also share our design best practices and research insights with peer and legislative communities to help collectively shape the future of mental health AI.

Josh brings more than a decade of legal and advocacy experience. In previous years, Josh served as Counsel to Vice President Kamala Harris as her chief legal advisor in the White House. Additionally, he worked on the Biden-Harris Transition Team in 2020 and as National Policy Director on Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. Earlier in his career, he worked in the Senate for eight years, first as Chief Counsel for Nominations for then-Ranking Member Patrick J. Leahy of the US Senate Judiciary Committee and then as General Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff to then-Senator Kamala Harris. Most recently, Josh worked as a Partner at Jenner & Block, where he helped clients with public policy and advocacy challenges. 

Dr. Caitlin Stamatis, Head of Research

Dr. Caitlin Stamatis joins us as Head of Research. Dr. Stamatis represents Slingshot’s continued investment into rigorous science and a dedication to exploring the capabilities of this new frontier technology. In her work, Dr. Stamatis will employ robust testing to validate further the safety and effectiveness of Ash for both professionals and everyday users. Her research will also identify use cases where Ash could prove profoundly impactful, informing specific communities on opportunities to benefit from our mental health resources. 

Dr. Stamatis is a clinical psychologist and expert in technology-enabled behavioral health. She has led research and clinical product strategy for both consumer health tools and regulated treatments, including helping to launch two first-in-class digital therapeutics for mental health (Akili Interactive Labs: EndeavorOTC; Otsuka: Rejoyn). Prior to that, Dr. Stamatis developed a novel program of mental health research within Google, focusing on safety and wellbeing in online content moderation. She has served as an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, researching the digital phenotyping of depression and anxiety symptoms.

New Expert Advisory Board Members

We’re also honored to welcome Dr. Lori Gottlieb and Dr. Nina Vasan to our Expert Advisory Board. Dr. Gottlieb and Dr. Vasan join a storied advisory board that plays a vital role in helping navigate unique first-of-their-kind challenges in the development of AI for mental health.

Lori Gottlieb LMFT

Lori Gottlieb is a licensed psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, which has sold millions of copies and been translated into over 30 languages. She writes the "Ask The Therapist" column for The New York Times and co-hosts the “Dear Therapists” and "Since You Asked" podcasts, and is frequently called upon as a media expert in the field of mental health. Her TED Talk, which has garnered over 7 million views, was one of the Top 10 Most-Watched Talks in 2019.

Dr. Nina Vasan

Dr. Nina Vasan, MD, MBA, is a psychiatrist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University. She founded and directs Brainstorm: The Stanford Lab for Mental Health Innovation—a lab at the intersection of clinical science and technology—and has advised global platforms on embedding mental health and digital well-being tools at scale.

“The new additions joining our team bring unparalleled vision and a track record of mental health and AI leadership to our team,” said Daniel Cahn, CEO and Co-Founder of Slingshot AI. “Their expertise and enthusiasm for our mission will further our ability to make mental health care more accessible to all.”