Our Team
Carolina Rosario
Founder
My name is Carolina Rosario. I am a journalist, a mother of two young kids, and this is my cause. I grew up watching my mother struggle with her mental health, and later I felt the pain of losing loved ones to suicide. Those experiences left me with a clear truth: everything begins and ends with mental health. As a journalist, I’ve seen the reality behind the statistics, and it made me realize this wasn’t just a story — it was a calling. I needed to do something about it, not only for the families I report on but also for my own children. That’s why I created Brain Nerds: to give children and families the tools to care for their emotions and to build a culture where mental health is not an afterthought but the foundation.
Rita Barreto
Director
I have dedicated my life to education because I believe in its power to transform lives. Today, I serve as Dean of Students at the Renaissance Charter School in Orlando, Florida, where I lead programs that foster positive discipline and student growth. Before this role, I spent over a decade as a teacher, directed a Montessori school, and later held leadership positions in Puerto Rico’s Department of Education, including Interim Deputy Secretary for Academic Affairs and Director of the Institute for Teacher Professional Development. These experiences shaped my vision of inclusive, innovative education. Through it all, I’ve learned that education and mental health are inseparable — children cannot reach their full potential unless we care for their emotional well-being. Brain Nerds allows me to continue that mission, helping children grow not only academically, but also emotionally and socially.
Raquel Rivera
Secretary
I am a wife and mother of seven, and my own journey has shown me the importance of mental health. Living with depression and OCD has deepened my conviction that every child deserves to be understood, supported, and loved — not only in body and mind, but also in spirit. To me, mental health is not a luxury — it is a right. It is the balance of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being that allows children to grow into confident and compassionate adults. When we listen to them, validate their emotions, and nurture their inner life, we give them the strength to thrive. As Secretary of Brain Nerds, I am proud to put this belief into action, ensuring no child feels invisible and every child knows their voice, their feelings, and their spirit truly matter.
Maria Alejandra
Treasurer
I am from Puerto Rico, an accountant by profession, and it is an honor to serve as Treasurer of Brain Nerds. Numbers may be my career, but my heart is in children’s mental health. I know from my own childhood how sadness and loneliness can leave lasting wounds, and I want to help ensure other children never have to carry those scars alone. Growing up in a large family of six, I learned how much childhood shapes the adults we become. As an aunt of eight, I see every day how vital it is to give children emotional support, care, and the right tools to grow strong. For me, Brain Nerds is more than an organization — it is a mission to combine my skills and my passion so that every child has the chance to thrive.