Brian Femminella
Brian Femminella | |
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| Born | January 21, 2000 Manhasset, NY |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2016 - present |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Parents |
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| Website | www |
Brian Femminella (born 31 Jan 2000) is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, political activist, and a member of the United States Army Military Intelligence Corps.[1] He is the CEO and Co-Founder of SoundMind, a mental health tech-based reseach and development company specialzing in creating mobile and web technologies that provide an audio and visual wellness solution powered by music.[2][3]
Femminella specializes in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, team management, and politics. He has over five years of experience in the political, military, technological, and research fields. Femminella is recognized for his groundbreaking research in the field of mental health.[4][5]
Femminella advocates for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and has actively participated in several initiatives working alongside GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, The Washington Blade, and more. He has been featured in several media outlets including Buisness Insider,[6][7] TEDx,[8] NBC News, ABC 7, Inside South Florida, NY Weekly, the Daily Trojan and several TV apperances and podcast shows.[9][10][11]
Early life and education
Femminella was born on January 31st, 2000, and grew up in Long Island, NY. He was raised by both of his parents, Glenn and Tracey, who supported him throughout his early career as a soldier and entrepreneur.
In 2018, Femminella enrolled at the University of Southern California, where he has since graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in computer & digital cyber security forensics. During his time at USC, Femminella worked part-time on the Virtual Reality & Artificial Intelligence Team at USC Institute for Creative Technologies and was a USC Army ROTC Cadet.
Career
Femminella started his career while he was still pursuing his high school education. In 2016,he attended a three month United Nations program in NY . During this time, Femminella was a part of the team that developed multiple solutions for the sustainable development goals of 2030.[12][13]
In 2017, he joined the United States Army Reserves to continue his passion for public service and intelligence at Fort Jackson, SC. Since then he has assumed several roles including Cadet Command Assistant at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Cyber Security and Information Systems Intern at the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) in White Sands, NM.[14][15]
Within a few years of this commitment, Femminella has forged long-lasting relationships with high-profile federal officials, commanding officers, and other political members through his travels with his occupation. He has also worked alongside the Cyber Security & Installation Information Systems office as an analyst (WSMR). Currently, he is enrolled in the ROTC program at the USC Trojan Battalion to become a JAG officer in the United States Army.
In 2019, Femminella started his work as a political activist.[16] He initiated two local campaigns in the Los Angeles Area to fight for climate advocacy and social justice. This propelled him to assume a greater role in politics in 2020, where he joined Congress at the Office of the Majority Whip to work on technology legislation and other important issues. Currently, he serves as the Chair of the National Collegiate Veteran & Military Affairs Committee in one of the branches of the DNC.[17]
In 2020, Femminella Joined USC ICT, a major research institute to continue his studies on music therapy and trauma. He started by working as an REU science and engineering researcher, which was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on the Medical Virtual Reality Technologies Team. Later he got a job there on their Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Team, which allowed him to find his niche for both Machine Learning and public service.[18][19][20]
In 2020, Femminella founded SoundMind, a mental health tech-based research and development company specializing in mobile app technologies to create a personalized music therapy experience tailored for those struggling with trauma, PTSD, depression, and/or anxiety through curated soundscapes, brain exercises, and more.[21][22][23]
Recently, Femminella has taken a larger role as a political and LGBTQIA+ activist. He has used his social media presence to advoacte for policy that positively impacts human rights issues, and has teamed up with national organiztions (i.e. GLAAD, HRC, Washington Blade, Voters of Tomorrow) to fight for equality and the importance of voting. He now also serves as an Officer in the United States Army and continues to spread his work with SoundMind across the nation.[24][25]
Awards
- National Collegiate Research Scholar & Plenary Speaker Award (Granted by Harvard University)
- 2x Recipient of the USC's Provost Research Fellowship on his studies pertaining to PTSD, Thanatosonics, Neuroplasticity, and Virtual Reality.
- USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Fund Recipient
- United States Army Base Commander's Award for Leadership & Excellence
- United States Army Distinguished Military Graduate (Top 10% of the nation)
- USC Magna Cum Laude, Renaissance Scholar & Order of Troy Recipient
Personal life
Femminella is a strong activist in the LGBTQIA+ communtiy and continues to empower Gen-Z folks and people across the nation to vote and speak out against these policies. He was previously a member of the Volunteer Fire Department for ten years, where he started as a Junior Firefighter at the age of eight and was formerly a volunteer for both the ambulance and engine companies before enlisting in the military.
Femminella, in his free time, enjoys SoulCycle, skydiving, and traveling the world.
In the media
References
- ↑ "Brian Femminella Firmly Stands for His Advocacies Pushing for Policies and Legislation Through His Platform". The US News. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ↑ "Brian Femminella". Medium. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ "2 friends create app to combat pandemic-induced anxiety, depression in children". fox11online.com. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ Ruiz, Daniel (7 January 2021). "SoundMind, the Purpose-Driven Powerhouse Set to Address Mental Health Issues". The Chicago Journal. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ Talks, Tech. "Brian Femminella, CEO of Soundmind, is the 20 year old using tech to treat PTSD – Tech Talks – Lyssna här". Podtail (in svenska). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ Davis, Dominic-Madori. "Meet the Gen Z founders who created a music app to help combat pandemic-induced anxiety and depression". Business Insider. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ Bhattacharya, Alexandra York, Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins, Shriya. "MONEY MOVES: Here are the daily routines of successful founders who launched successful businesses in the pandemic". Business Insider. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ "How to Use Technology and Social Impact to Heal Trauma | Lucy Schafer & Brian Femminella | TEDxUSC". youtube. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ Kanbarian, Colette (22 October 2020). "Student-created music therapy app to help PTSD victims". Daily Trojan. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ Staff, JOHN GONZALEZ (5 October 2022). "2 friends create app to combat pandemic-induced anxiety, depression in children". KEYE. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ "SoundMind Joins NYC Pride 2022 as Official Wellness Partner in an Effort to Continue Advocating for Human Rights and Mental Health". finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ "Brian Femminella and Travis Chen on the Path of Changing the World of Mental Health". US Insider. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ "Treating mental health issues for younger kids". FOX 5 DC. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ↑ Torres, Adam (6 August 2020). "Music Therapy and Game-based Rehabilitation with Brian A. Femminella". Mission Matters. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ "Explore Talent Acting Profile - Brian Femminella | 21 years old Acting | Los Angeles CA - Explore Talent". www.exploretalent.com. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ "Music Therapy and Game-based Rehabilitation with Brian A. Femminella - Mission Matters Innovation". Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ "Mental Health Advocacy". WFLA. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ "Podcast interview with Brian Femminella". www.tech-talks.co.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ Staff, JOHN GONZALEZ (5 October 2022). "2 friends create app to combat pandemic-induced anxiety, depression in children". The National Desk. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ Femminella, Brian (31 October 2022). "HRC National Dinner was a reminder about what it looks like to come together". Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ↑ "New mental health app launches amid Suicide Prevention Week". www.kold.com. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ "Tech Talks – Brian Femminella, CEO of Soundmind, is the 20 year old using tech to treat PTSD | CIO WaterCooler | CIO CTO & Change Agents". ciowatercooler.co.uk. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ↑ Gonzalez, John (4 October 2022). "2 DC area men create music app to combat pandemic-induced anxiety, depression". WJLA. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ "Tackling mental health struggles with the app SoundMind". WSFL. 9 September 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ↑ "They met their first day on campus. Now they're Army officers and run a near million-dollar start-up. > News > USC Dornsife". dornsife.usc.edu. Retrieved 27 October 2022.