Mental health teletherapy company Kindbridge Thursday announced the appointments of three new board members.
Brianne Doura-Schawohl, Eric Kussin, and Seth Young have experience in mental health, gambling and gaming sectors. The trio will work towards making Kindbridge, based in New York, an integral part of consumer protection systems focusing on state and regulator policies, sport and casino policies, and mental health advocacy in schools and sports teams, from high school to professional athletes.
“This strategic expansion of the Board offers an opportunity to provide high-quality mental health services for employees and patrons of sportsbooks, casinos, and associated businesses,” said Kindbridge CEO Daniel Umfleet in a statement.
“Given the state of mental health in the U.S. and the rapid expansion of legal sports betting, we have a unique opportunity to provide more screening and education, while simultaneously building a national network of care providers that understand the complexities of gambling disorder.”
Doura-Schawohl is founder and CEO of Doura-Schawohl Consulting and also has served as EPIC Risk Management Vice President of U.S. Policy and Strategic Development. She’s also been the legislative director for the National Council on Problem Gambling.
“This is a very exciting opportunity to make a big impact on a space that has been calling out for support for years,” Doura-Schawohl said in a statement. ‘A telehealth solution that organizes care and access that works with large-scale corporations and distribution partners to get the message out there about the necessity to manage mental health in the gambling space is a huge victory that is long overdue.”
Kussin is a professional sports executive with almost 20 years’ experience, working for organizations including the NBA and NHL. In 2017, he launched a non-profit called: #SameHere, The Global Mental Health Alliance, which enlists athletes, celebrities, media, expert practitioners, and advocates to normalize society’s perception of mental health.
“Gambling addiction has largely gone unaddressed in U.S. sport, and this is a chance to drive the conversation about the underlying mental health factors that can and often do lead to problem gambling,” Kussin said in a statement. “This conversation is needed now more than ever as the factors that impact mental health complications have been on the rise.”
Young is an international gaming expert with nearly two decades’ experience. He is currently the chief strategy officer at Fifth Street Gaming Digital, and managing partner for The Strategy Organization, a full-service gaming consultancy.
“Kindbridge is a first-of-its-kind solution for the gaming space that offers real, tangible support and services to individuals that may be experiencing behavioral issues related to gambling,” Young said in a statement, “in addition to other tremendously credible mental health support initiatives on both an individualized and corporate level. It’s time there was a solid solution for this at scale in the U.S. gaming market, and Kindbridge is paving the way.”
