San Francisco, California, United States, October 2025 — Hopelab has announced the appointment of Jaspal Sandhu, Ph.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2026. Sandhu, who currently serves as Executive Vice President, succeeds Margaret Laws, who has led the organization for the past decade. Laws will remain engaged with Hopelab as Executive in Residence, serving as an advisor and working on projects in the mental health and wellness space.
As President and CEO, Sandhu will provide leadership for Hopelab’s mission to advance the mental health and well-being of Brown, Black, and Queer young people through uncovering knowledge and evidence, investing in innovators, and funding youth-centered solutions. He brings extensive experience in design innovation, social entrepreneurship, and health equity to the role.
“I’m honored to build on the incredible foundation Margaret and the team have created at Hopelab,” said Sandhu. “Young people are leading with courage and imagination to nurture their mental health and well-being, even under the weight of systems not designed for them. By centering the voices and lived experience of Brown, Black, and Queer young people, we can create solutions together that advance equity and belonging and shape a future full of joy and thriving.”
Building Impact at Hopelab
Since joining Hopelab as Executive Vice President three years ago, Sandhu has significantly expanded the organization’s reach and impact. Under his leadership, Hopelab launched two cohorts of the HBCU Translational Science Fellowship to advance Black youth mental health research by supporting research faculty and career researchers at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He also played a key role in the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund, a first-of-its-kind philanthropic initiative that has raised over $4.5 million in grants with funders including The Archewell Foundation, Pivotal Ventures, and Pinterest to support youth-led organizations shaping the responsible technology movement. Additionally, he helped incubate the Purpose Commons, founded in partnership with Cornell University, to bridge the gap between the science of purpose and its practical application to young people.
“Jaspal embodies the kind of leadership Hopelab needs for its next chapter — someone who knows how to translate the power of design and the urgency of health equity into meaningful impact for Black, Brown, and Queer young people,” said Margaret Laws. “I’ve had the privilege of working alongside him, and I’m confident that under his guidance, Hopelab will continue to expand its impact.”
A Career in Design and Social Impact
Sandhu is a recognized leader in design, public health, and social innovation. A professor at UC Berkeley, he teaches courses exploring health equity and the relationship between art and social impact. He co-founded the Fung Fellowship to educate students on digital health equity and created the first human-centered design course in the School of Public Health.
Before joining Hopelab, Sandhu was Managing Partner at Gobee, a global design consultancy he co-founded to spark social innovation. Spanning 25 countries, Gobee’s work included developing next-generation medical devices for newborns in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, launching an incubator for domestic violence prevention, and building human-centered design capacity in U.S. health care safety net clinics and hospitals.
About Hopelab
Hopelab envisions a future where young people have equitable opportunities to live joyful and purposeful lives. As a researcher, investor, and convener, the organization is dedicated to fostering greater mental health and well-being outcomes for Brown, Black, and Queer youth through research, innovation, and partnerships that drive social impact.
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