Maria Barrera
CEO, Clayful
Bio: Maria Barrera is the founder and CEO of Clayful, a tech-enabled mental health company delivering real-time, chat-based coaching to K-12 students. An engineer by training and immigrant from Colombia, Maria is passionate about designing systems that unlock opportunity and mental wellness for young people, particularly those who face barriers to support. Prior to Clayful, she led product and growth at Nearpod and worked in aerospace at Boeing and GE. Maria holds BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford and is committed to reimagining how kids access care.
Org Info: Clayful is a tech-enabled mental health platform that partners with schools to provide real-time, chat-based coaching to K-12 students. Designed to be preventative, accessible, and stigma-free, Clayful meets students where they are—online and on their terms. In addition to expanding access to care, Clayful is building the mental health workforce of the future by recruiting, training, and certifying diverse coaches who deliver evidence-based support. Schools use Clayful to extend the reach of their existing resources and ensure every student has someone to talk to—before challenges turn into crises.
What motivated you to pursue your current work? (i.e., What is your “why”?)
As an immigrant from Colombia who moved to the U.S. at age 10, I struggled to find a sense of belonging while watching my mom juggle multiple jobs to keep us afloat. I didn’t want to be an extra burden on her, so I kept a lot in—even when I needed help. That experience shaped my belief that kids shouldn’t have to go through hard things alone, and that support should come through places they already trust—like their schools. I became an engineer to build things that matter, and eventually realized I could use those skills to build a system that gives every student someone to talk to, when they need it most.
What distinct value does your work bring to the digital health field?
Clayful is making mental health support radically more accessible by embedding real-time, chat-based coaching directly into schools – reaching students before challenges escalate. Unlike traditional care models that rely on referrals, waitlists, or high-acuity diagnoses, Clayful meets kids where they are with prevention-first, tech-enabled support. We also invest in building the future mental health workforce by recruiting, training, and certifying diverse coaches who reflect the communities we serve. By combining access, equity, and early intervention, Clayful is reimagining how care is delivered and who gets to deliver it.
How does your work impact your target end-users or stakeholders?
Clayful impacts students by giving them immediate, judgment-free support when they’re struggling – helping them build emotional skills, feel less alone, and stay engaged in school. For educators and school leaders, we reduce the burden on already stretched staff by acting as a first line of emotional support, preventing issues from escalating into crises. And for our coaches, many of whom come from the same communities as the students they support, we provide meaningful work experience, training, and a pathway into the mental health field. This creates a ripple effect: stronger students, supported schools, and a growing, more representative workforce.
What is one exciting update or near-term opportunity that you would like to share with the digital health community?
We’re excited to expand Clayful’s work through California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), opening the door to sustainable funding for preventative mental health support in schools. This represents a major step toward bridging the gap between education and healthcare—two systems that often operate in silos despite serving the same kids. By unlocking new reimbursement pathways, we’re helping ensure that early, accessible support is not only effective, but financially sustainable at scale.
Bio: Maria Barrera is the founder and CEO of Clayful, a tech-enabled mental health company delivering real-time, chat-based coaching to K-12 students. An engineer by training and immigrant from Colombia, Maria is passionate about designing systems that unlock opportunity and mental wellness for young people, particularly those who face barriers to support. Prior to Clayful, she led product and growth at Nearpod and worked in aerospace at Boeing and GE. Maria holds BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford and is committed to reimagining how kids access care.
Org Info: Clayful is a tech-enabled mental health platform that partners with schools to provide real-time, chat-based coaching to K-12 students. Designed to be preventative, accessible, and stigma-free, Clayful meets students where they are—online and on their terms. In addition to expanding access to care, Clayful is building the mental health workforce of the future by recruiting, training, and certifying diverse coaches who deliver evidence-based support. Schools use Clayful to extend the reach of their existing resources and ensure every student has someone to talk to—before challenges turn into crises.
What motivated you to pursue your current work? (i.e., What is your “why”?)
As an immigrant from Colombia who moved to the U.S. at age 10, I struggled to find a sense of belonging while watching my mom juggle multiple jobs to keep us afloat. I didn’t want to be an extra burden on her, so I kept a lot in—even when I needed help. That experience shaped my belief that kids shouldn’t have to go through hard things alone, and that support should come through places they already trust—like their schools. I became an engineer to build things that matter, and eventually realized I could use those skills to build a system that gives every student someone to talk to, when they need it most.
What distinct value does your work bring to the digital health field?
Clayful is making mental health support radically more accessible by embedding real-time, chat-based coaching directly into schools – reaching students before challenges escalate. Unlike traditional care models that rely on referrals, waitlists, or high-acuity diagnoses, Clayful meets kids where they are with prevention-first, tech-enabled support. We also invest in building the future mental health workforce by recruiting, training, and certifying diverse coaches who reflect the communities we serve. By combining access, equity, and early intervention, Clayful is reimagining how care is delivered and who gets to deliver it.
How does your work impact your target end-users or stakeholders?
Clayful impacts students by giving them immediate, judgment-free support when they’re struggling – helping them build emotional skills, feel less alone, and stay engaged in school. For educators and school leaders, we reduce the burden on already stretched staff by acting as a first line of emotional support, preventing issues from escalating into crises. And for our coaches, many of whom come from the same communities as the students they support, we provide meaningful work experience, training, and a pathway into the mental health field. This creates a ripple effect: stronger students, supported schools, and a growing, more representative workforce.
What is one exciting update or near-term opportunity that you would like to share with the digital health community?
We’re excited to expand Clayful’s work through California’s Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI), opening the door to sustainable funding for preventative mental health support in schools. This represents a major step toward bridging the gap between education and healthcare—two systems that often operate in silos despite serving the same kids. By unlocking new reimbursement pathways, we’re helping ensure that early, accessible support is not only effective, but financially sustainable at scale.