Mental Health

Sylvie Raver manages SPARC’s Brain Disorders and Mental Health focus areas. She has published work on biomedical strategy with a focus on mental health, neurotechnology, and rare neurodegenerative diseases. Previously, Raver led the Society for Neuroscience’s global programming and policy efforts in neuroscience training for individual scientists and other members. Raver conducted postdoctoral research at the National Institute on Aging, received a PhD from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College.

Cheryl Anne Boyce, PhD, is the director of the mental health focus area on the Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) team at Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy. 

Before joining the Milken Institute, Boyce served as an Associate Commissioner at the United States Food and Drug Administration, overseeing programs that advanced clinical research, therapeutic development, and scientific engagement to inform regulatory decision-making. She previously served as the inaugural Assistant Director for Re-engineering the Research Enterprise in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund, where she led high-risk, high-reward initiatives and landmark clinical and translational research programs. Her NIH career also included leadership roles at the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, with a focus on developmental neuroscience, preventive interventions, and implementation science. Her federal service further includes work in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and as a Society for Research in Child Development/American Association for the Advancement of Science Science & Technology Policy Fellow focused on national initiatives on children, trauma, drug abuse, and mental health. Boyce is a co-author of a widely used handbook on writing research grants, which has been downloaded more than 100,000 times. She earned her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completing clinical and research fellowships at Children’s National Medical Center and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. 

Alison Huang, PhD, MPH, an epidemiologist by training, works with SPARC’s team to advise foundations and philanthropists on research areas for impactful investment, specifically around mental health. Huang’s scientific expertise lies at the intersection of mental, social, and cognitive health across the lifecourse.  

Prior to joining the Milken Institute, Huang was a Program Officer at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) in the National Institutes of Health (NIH). At NIA, she managed a global grant portfolio while guiding institutional investment in translational research for mental well-being and healthy longevity. Additionally, Huang was faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health serving as the scientific lead of the ACHIEVE study, a hearing intervention clinical trial. Her research investigated the link between hearing loss and intervention with mental and cognitive health in older adults. Huang received a PhD in Mental Health and a MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a BS in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. 

Ishtiaq Mawla applies his background in translational research, business consulting, and stakeholder management to support philanthropists, families, and foundations to SPARC’s Rare Disease and Cancer focus areas. Ishtiaq received his PhD from the University of Michigan and his undergraduate degree from Connecticut College.

Lillian Parr supports SPARC’s Brain Disorders and Mental Health focus areas. Previously, Parr was a research fellow at the Council on Strategic Risks, where she conducted research on biosecurity and pandemic-prevention policy. Her work focused on a range of issues, including zoonotic spillover prevention, regulation of dual-use life sciences research, and technology for pathogen early warning. Parr holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the College of William & Mary. As an undergraduate, Parr was an iGEM researcher and completed a research fellowship at Caltech.

Erin Ross manages SPARC’s strategy and operations across all initiatives. She applies her expertise in health systems and analyzing the role scientific evidence plays in health policy implementation to the role. Ross has published work on health policy and implementation strategies for topics such as type 1 diabetes, dementia, and tauopathies. Prior to joining SPARC, Erin worked in the life science industry for more than 17 years, building strong skills in scientific research, writing, facilitation, and communication. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Hood College.

Samantha Schumm applies her expertise in neuroscience to SPARC’s Mental Health focus area. Previously, Schumm was a program officer with the Board on Health Sciences Policy at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; she directed studies on race and ethnicity in biomedical and genomics research and led working groups on workforce development and manufacturing technologies in regenerative medicine. Schumm holds a PhD in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Yale University.

Elizabeth Stafford brings expertise in mental health and person-centered research to the Milken Institute’s partnerships with philanthropists and foundations, developing collaborative strategies to optimize philanthropic investment in advancing mental health research priorities. Previously, Stafford served as Director of Research for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She received a master of public health degree in Epidemiology with a Certificate in Public Health Genetics from the University of Michigan.