Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble (known as Dr. Alfiee) is a globally recognized authority and thought leader on mental health disparities and equity for intersectional Youth of Color, their families, and communities. She is a renowned scientist, author, speaker, and regularly appears in print and broadcast media as a mental health correspondent. Expert in research and clinical care for marginalized populations, she is highly regarded for translating complex scientific concepts into everyday language. With over 25 years of experience in academic medicine, honed at Duke and Georgetown Psychiatry and implemented at her innovative 501(c)(3) non-profit The AAKOMA Project, she is noted for her ability to draw in audiences and inspire. Dr. Alfiee’s media reach includes respected outlets like CNN, MSNBC/Peacock, The New York Times, The Washington Post, PBS, and more. Dr. Alfiee started The AAKOMA Project as an academic medicine research lab in R1 teaching hospitals in 1999. With a staff of dedicated professionals, she built AAKOMA into a thriving research and outreach nonprofit founded on the science of community engagement and centering youth, families and communities of color. Her scientific mission is to combine lived experiences with data to support patients, providers and the public. In 2022, she released the report, The State of Youth of Color Mental Health, a groundbreaking examination of the current state of mental health concerns and supports for young people ages 13-25 including LGBTQ youth and youth with disabilities. Her academic achievements, including authorship of 2 books and dozens of peer-reviewed publications on intersectional Youth of Color mental health, reflect her commitment to a culturally relevant, patient and community centered approach to her work. Dr. Alfiee trained at Howard University, New York University, the University of Wisconsin, Madison and the Duke University School of Medicine. Her culturally relevant science helps ALL people actualize the love and light within.