Koa Health bolsters global leadership with appointment of 4 key roles

Barcelona, Boston, London, 7th, March 2024: Today leading hybrid mental healthcare provider, Koa Health, announced the appointment of four key leadership roles: Melissa Frieswick as US president, Caroline Bailes as Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Belinda Carrasco as US Clinical Director, and John J. Stamatopolous as Chief Revenue Officer. As part of the company’s ongoing commitment to growth and innovation as Koa continues to expand into the US Market, Koa is also hiring for additional US-based roles.

“I am delighted to welcome four fantastic members to the Koa Health team: Melissa Frieswick as our US President, Caroline Bailes as our Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Belinda Carrasco as our US Clinical Lead, and John J. Stamatopolous as Chief Revenue Officer,” said Dr. Oliver Harrison, CEO and Founder of Koa Health. “Together, these four highly accomplished team members bring new strengths to Koa, across Growth and Revenue, Financial Management, and Clinical Excellence. At a time when our Mental Health Predictions and Trends Report 2024 shows that 74% of organizations plan to increase spending on mental health, we are pleased to have the capacity to make a difference across the US and around the world.”

As awareness of mental health’s impact on the workplace and the demand for personalized precision services continue to grow, it’s clear that organizations everywhere are struggling to find the right approach to support their teams and Koa Health is eager to help. In a recent survey of business leaders across the US, it was revealed that while 98% of organizations have some type of mental health benefit in place, the majority of those surveyed saw a need to make changes—either by leveraging existing budget differently or increasing their overall investment in mental health. One of the biggest barriers to getting people to the care they need is how difficult care pathways are to navigate. 68% of employees say they don’t use benefits to their full value because they’re too time-consuming, cumbersome or confusing to navigate.

In pursuit of its central goal to put mental healthcare within easy reach for more people, Koa Health has brought on four new leaders. Find out more about them and their reasons for joining Koa Health below.

Renowned for her strategic leadership and commitment to enhancing healthcare access as a business leader at organizations that include Virgin Pulse and Maven, Melissa Frieswick brings a wealth of expertise and a visionary outlook aimed at reshaping mental health accessibility and enabling a custom approach to care to her role as US President and Managing Director at Koa Health.

“Growing up, I watched my mother help my grandparents navigate complex pathways for cancer care. Bearing witness to how this challenge impacted my own family is a big part of why I’ve spent my career focused on helping people get to the care they need more easily, and why I’m drawn to Koa Health’s mission of mental healthcare for all,” said Frieswick, “I’m excited to join Koa’s team at such a pivotal moment. Together, we are going to change how the market approaches mental health and close gaps in care to support people no matter what their baseline level of mental health is — whether they’re struggling and in need of some one-on-one time with a therapist, or looking to boost their mental wellbeing on a regular basis with self-guided activities.”

With 30+ years in finance, more than a decade’s experience in healthcare, and a background as a Big 4 trained business leader, Caroline Bailes brings a clear strategic focus underpinned by strong team leadership, processes and controls, and excellent communication and influencing skills to Koa Health’s leadership team.

"As Chief Financial Officer at Koa Health, my role extends beyond traditional finance, contributing to a vision where financial strategies converge with cutting-edge initiatives. By embracing digital solutions and augmenting clinician input with world-class, results-proven digital therapeutics, we aim to improve the efficiency of mental health services, reducing stigma, and making them more affordable. Through this approach, Koa Health is not only redefining accessibility but also designing services that are both built to scale and support individual mental health journeys. Our goal is to integrate seamlessly into people's lives and address the diverse needs of our community, delivering value for employers, patients, and clinicians alike."

A Clinical Psychologist, Belinda Carrasco brings 20+ years of experience in strategy, clinical operations, design, implementation and execution of clinical programming and digital evidence-based solutions to her work at Koa Health.

“Mental health accessibility is a shared responsibility, and at Koa Health, we are poised to lead meaningful change. Drawing from my background in public health and digital health initiatives, I am committed to enhancing access to mental health care. Together, we will innovate clinical programming, ensuring that evidence-based solutions reach underserved communities—making mental health care a reality for everyone.”

John J. Stamatopoulos brings nearly two decades of expertise leading and driving growth in digital health and mental health organizations, with a personal commitment to improving health equity, to his role as Chief Revenue Officer at Koa Health.

“My mission to improve access to quality mental health care and benefit the lives of those in need has always been a driving force in my career, and I see Koa Health's mission as a perfect opportunity to continue making a positive impact. Working with an organization like Koa not only aligns with my professional aspirations but also resonates deeply with my commitment to serving communities and improving lives."

Koa Health is currently hiring for multiple US-based remote roles in addition to recent leadership hires.

ENDS

About Koa Health:

Designed to help your employees find the right mental healthcare at the right time, Koa Health’s comprehensive care model, Koa Care 360 offers employees simple navigation, and configurable, evidence-based care built with the world’s leading clinician-academics.

Koa Health provides an integrated approach to care that delivers mental health for everyone, whether they prefer digital-first care or would benefit from clinical services delivered by a human. Available to more than 3 million users worldwide, Koa Health addresses the full continuum of mental health needs – from prevention to treatment.

Backed by leading investors such as Morningside, Ancora Finance Group, Wellington Partners Life Sciences, and MTIP, Koa Health leverages deep clinical expertise, research, and technology to deliver effective and accessible care that adapts to users’ unique circumstances, leading to lasting behavior change and positive health outcomes across the full continuum of mental health.

With operations in Barcelona, the US and the UK. Koa Health partners with leading clinicians and academics, including Massachusetts General Hospital, University College of London, the London School of Economics, and Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

For more information, please contact us at press@koahealth.com