About us
Brain health is whole-person health.
Our founder
Maya Haubold at Columbia University.
Maya Haubold is a STEM-oriented high school student and the founder of Heads Up NYC, a youth-led initiative dedicated to traumatic brain injury awareness and prevention. Her interest in neuroscience began after she experienced a concussion herself and saw firsthand how even a seemingly minor head injury can affect everyday life.
Maya is especially interested in using the intersection of art and neuroscience to make brain-safety education engaging, accessible, and memorable. Through Heads Up NYC, she hopes to help people of all ages and backgrounds better understand how head injuries can happen — from bicycle crashes and sports injuries to everyday falls — and how simple precautions, such as wearing a helmet and recognizing concussion symptoms, can make a meaningful difference.
Our story
HeadsUp NYC started with a simple realization: we spend a lot of energy treating brain injuries and mental health crises after they happen, and comparatively little energy preventing them in the first place. We wanted to change that.
We believe brain health is whole-person health. A blow to the head doesn't just risk a concussion — it can also increase the risk of depression, anxiety, and cognitive changes for years afterward. And mental health struggles, left unaddressed, can be just as life-altering as any physical injury. HeadsUp NYC brings both conversations into one place, because they were never really separate to begin with.
Our mission
To build a world where brain injury prevention is a habit, not an afterthought — and where talking about mental health is as normal as talking about physical health.
Our values
Four principles guide the work.
Evidence first
Everything we share is grounded in current research and public health guidance.
No shame, no stigma
Struggling — physically or mentally — is human. We talk about it openly.
Small actions matter
Prevention isn't about overhauling your life. It's helmets, seatbelts, sleep, and check-ins.
Everyone is welcome
Athletes, parents, cyclists, workers, students, and anyone who has ever had a hard day — this is for you.