Alumnae spotlight: Sheena Pirbhai

Sheena Pirbhai, Class of 2000

Sheena is on a mission to help and support the mental health of people from all walks of life to positively impact their lives. She was among the Top 100 Asians in UK Tech 2022 and 2023.

Following a degree in land economy at the University of Cambridge, Sheena started her career in finance, working in mergers and acquisitions in the media sector in London before starting her own film finance and production company, Flick the Switch. For over ten years, she produced a collection of award-winning short films and documentaries in the UK and US and structured the finance deals for several feature films and companies in the sector.

In 2018, she founded and is CEO of Stress Point Health, a digital platform building the next generation of mental health tech focusing on long-term brain health. It is the culmination of her personal journey to recover from PTSD following a major traumatic event. Stress Point Health has built the world’s first software solution targeting emotional mental health using digitised Neurofeedback to improve brain health for individuals and in the workplace. Their first product is SPHERE – an app offering digitised Neurofeedback to deal with stress, anxiety and PTSD. Stress Point Health is unique in its focus on the emotional regulation centre of the brain, which is often overlooked in treating stress-related conditions.

Sheena serves on the board of Healthcare First Caribbean Outreach, a company rebuilding the healthcare infrastructure for the Island of Montserrat and is a member of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs. She is also a mentor for the 2023 cohort of the Innovate UK Women in Innovation award and the Hatch Launchpad accelerator programme – nurturing the next generation of female entrepreneurs. She serves on the board of several of her portfolio companies, advising and incubating start-ups in their early stages of growth. She is also a fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, manufactures and commerce and an associate member of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Croydon High has been fortunate enough to host some of our fantastic alumnae as part of our Academic Scholars’ Programme. Our scholars were so lucky to hear Sheena speak in 2021 about her personal journey and listen to tips to help them become more resilient and better able to deal with difficult situations they may face. Several years ago, Sheena was also an inspiring guest speaker at our Prizegiving celebrations.

We caught up with Sheena recently for a Q&A session:

What aspects of Croydon High School did you enjoy and find most rewarding?

Croydon High was an incredibly diverse and engaging place to go to school. From debating to musical theatre, I loved being able to participate in a wide range of activities.

What did you aspire to whilst at school?

I always wanted to be a leader, continuing to learn and evolve through different programmes. Through Croydon High, I was lucky to participate in the Fulcrum Leadership Challenge and the Duke of Edinburgh award. These opportunities helped shape me as a teenager and helped with my aspirations to be a leader and inspire people.

How did Croydon High School empower you for your future?

Academically, my tutors always pushed me to do my best, and their support and motivation helped me get into Cambridge. I had the most amazing teachers who spent the time to nurture me academically as well as in extracurricular activities. They taught me how to think critically, analyse information and debate each element from different perspectives. I have taken these skills forward throughout my career.

What has been your proudest moment?

One of my proudest moments was coming back to Croydon High and engaging with the next generation of students to inspire them with my story and remind myself of how far I have come. It started at Croydon High, and my time there gave me the tools and strength to achieve so much of what I have today.

What are your hopes for the future?

I hope my work in mental health changes the lives of people around the world. I started Stress Point Health with the goal of helping one person, and we are now helping thousands. I hope to continue this and have a positive impact on society. I hope I can inspire the next generation to know that no matter what obstacles or challenges you face, using that adversity to motivate and propel you forward is the most powerful force there is.

What would you say to your younger self?

Popularity is a contest not worth spending time trying to win. The things that feel important now will change over time.

Mrs Karen Roe
Alumnae Relations Manager