Kristen Lew’s LinkedIn page describes her as a passionate mental health activist.
She manages her own nonprofit and a podcast, for which she interviews top mental health experts. She lobbies for improved mental health policies. She was named one of Orange County’s 125 most influential people for 2023 by The Orange County Register.
And at 18, she’s just getting started.
The Northwood High School alum now attends Stanford University, majoring in psychology and human biology while minoring in public policy. Among her inspirations: her hardworking immigrant mother, a pharmacist; her Northwood guidance counselor, Kelsey Loup; and Girls Inc. of Orange County, a nonprofit that encourages girls to be “smart, strong and bold” through service and advocacy.
“My community has made me realize the purpose behind my advocacy, which is serving those around me,” Lew says. She also gives credit to Girls Inc. “They transformed my life and let me see that all my dreams are possible.”
Lew learned of the group in middle school. Over the next five years, it helped teach her about managing her finances, becoming a social entrepreneur and gaining confidence. Earlier this year, she won a Girls Inc. college scholarship.
She’s one of more than 6,000 young women in OC who have been served this year alone, according to Lucy Santana, CEO of Girls Inc. of Orange County, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.
“She is definitely one of those go-getters who learned to find her voice and the skill set that helped her move to the next level,” Santana adds.
