Ayesha Desai, Program Director

Huckleberry Youth Multi-Service Center - San Francisco

 While growing up in India, Ayesha Desai had extensive exposure to mental health issues thanks to her father’s psychiatrist profession, which motivated her to pursue a career in mental health and social sciences. Ayesha has two Masters Degrees, one in Medical and Psychiatric Social work (MSW) and one in Social Psychology (MA). For the past six years, she has worked with non-profit organizations that focus their services on youth and women. Ayesha has always had a passion for working on the issue of adolescent health, especially the reproductive health of at-risk youth. Throughout her career in the social developmental field, she has been exposed to a number of aspects of Adolescent/Teen health and the growing need for education and advocacy. As the Director of an HIV/AIDS crisis intervention center in Mumbai, she planned and executed a number of outreach programs to increase reproductive health awareness among at-risk youth. She has conducted trainings for teens on substance abuse, sex education, suicide prevention, grief and loss, sexual orientation, cultural diversity, and mental health.