Vildan Soguktas

Vildan Soguktas is passionate about the interconnectedness of planetary health, brain health, and mental health. She is the founder of EcoRelief, an initiative dedicated to exploring how human mental wellbeing is linked to the health of the planet. She is also the founder of Young Women for Planetary Health (YWPH), a group of around 60 young women and men worldwide focused on strengthening young women’s leadership in planetary health, with a special emphasis on the connection between mental health and the global planetary crisis. She has been organizing biweekly meetings and trainings for the YWPH team for the past two years as part of Women Leaders for Planetary Health and the Planetary Health Alliance. Vildan has also organized and participated in several international events related to planetary health and the mental health impacts of the planetary crisis, including co-moderating a United Nations Science, Technology, and Innovation Forum event in May 2025 titled “The Nexus Between Planetary Crises and Youth Mental Health”. 

Vildan is currently the Chair of the Advocacy Committee for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Virginia Youth Advisory Board, where she leads a team to advocate for youth mental health statewide. She is also a part of the International Neuro Climate Working Group, with scientists, clinicians, policy experts, and climate advocates worldwide focused on biomedicine, neuroscience and climate change.