THE MINDS & HEARTS BEHIND FUTURESELFOur team
A collective of innovators and scientists redefining what it means to grow. Blending neuroscience, design, and mindfulness to help people reconnect with their potential.
GAZAL VAKILI, MSHS
CEO & FOUNDERWith over 15 years in clinical research and digital health, Gazal brings scientific depth and human insight to her work. She founded NextGen Clinical Research to reimagine healthcare beyond the pill. Previously, as Head of Digital Health at Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals, she led pioneering trials merging technology, cognitive science, and patient-centered design. A co-inventor on several VR mental-health patents, she continues to advise ventures shaping the future of evidence-based transformation.
Why FutureSelf:
Gazal has devoted her life to understanding the human mind. Why we forget our own power and how subtle beliefs shape our lives. Her fascination with the placebo effect revealed how belief itself can transform the body. FutureSelf was born from that realization: a way to help people reconnect with their voice, awaken their potential, and become who they were always meant to be.
DR. RISA WEISBERG, PH.D.
HEAD OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCERisa is a nationally recognized expert in behavioral health and digital mental health innovation. She formerly served as Chief Clinical and Scientific Officer at RealizedCare, where she led the development of digital interventions for behavioral health.
A Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University, Dr. Weisberg brings deep expertise in evidence-based mental health treatments and implementation science. She is passionate about bringing clinically rigorous, accessible solutions to people at scale through thoughtful digital design.
Why FutureSelf:
Risa, a clinical psychologist fascinated by what drives human change, was drawn to FutureSelf for its ability to bridge science and self-discovery, helping people move beyond symptom management to lasting transformation through connection with their future selves.
Jillian Ahrens
CHIEF OF EXPERIENCE DESIGN Jillian is a product and design executive with 10+ years of experience leading innovation in digital health and behavioral science. As Chief Product Officer at RealizedCare, she built integrated care solutions for mental health, addiction, and chronic conditions.
She’s launched more than a dozen FDA-regulated digital therapeutics and holds five patents in prescription digital health. Her work blends human-centered design, clinical rigor, and strategy to create compassionate, scalable tools that drive measurable impact.
Why FutureSelf:
Jillian’s yoga and meditation practice taught her that transformation begins within; neuroscience taught her that the brain can rewire itself through intention and visualization. FutureSelf brings these truths together, helping people access the power of their own minds to become who they’re meant to be.
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Dr. Alexandra Marquis, PH.D.
HEAD OF RESEARCHAlexandra has 10+ years of experience leading research on digital products, weaving behavioural science and human-centred innovation. Her work combines evidence-based research methods with deep curiosity about human behaviour, helping teams design experiences that create meaningful and measurable change.
With a background in psychology and behavioral research, Alexandra has worked across academic and applied settings, specializing in understanding motivation, identity, behaviour change, and emotional wellbeing. She is passionate about translating research into practical, human-centred solutions that help people better understand themselves and create lasting transformation. Alexandra has taught university-level psychology courses, including Psychology of Death and Dying and Psychology of Beliefs. Her teaching and research both reflect a strong interest in how people construct meaning, navigate uncertainty, and change over time.
Why FutureSelf:
Alexandra has practiced meditation for more than a decade, and it profoundly transformed her relationship with herself and anxiety. Through mindfulness and self-reflection practices, she experienced firsthand how intentional inner work can reshape thought patterns, emotional wellbeing, and personal growth.
FutureSelf brings together behavioural science and self-connection in a deeply personal way, helping people hear, believe in, and grow into the version of themselves they want to become.
“True behavior change is identity change.”
— JAMES CLEAR
