Amanda Johnstone

For the Australian politician Amanda 'Mandy' Ann Johnstone, see Mandy Johnstone.

Amanda Johnstone
Johnstone in 2021
Born
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
OccupationTechnology entrepreneur
EmployerTranshuman Inc.
AwardsTime Next Generation Leader 2019, The CEO Magazine Startup Executive of the Year 2020, Top 50 Australian and New Zealand Women in Tech, GSMA Global Mobile Awards finalist - Social Inclusion
Websitewww.amandajohnstone.com

Amanda Josephine Johnstone (born 1985 or 1986)[1] is an Australian technology entrepreneur. She founded Transhuman Inc. (also known as Social Health Innovations, Inc.), a mental health and emotion AI technology company, in 2014.[2]

Early life, education and career

Johnstone was born in Launceston, Tasmania, and attended St Thomas More's, Star of the Sea and Summerdale Primary Schools, Prospect High School and Launceston College. At 17 years old, she co-founded retail chain Sebachi,[3] before moving into youth development as Australia's first Youth Development Officer in local government at the West Tamar Council alongside philanthropic roles in management, policy and strategy in suicide prevention at a youth suicide retreat in Tasmania.[1][3] She later studied computer science at Curtin University for one semester, before dropping out after she found the course content outdated.[4]

In 2014, Johnstone and Roy Sugarman founded Transhuman Inc., a mental health and emotion AI technology company.[5] Johnstone's work saw Transhuman awarded second place in the Top Startups in Delaware list by The Tech Tribune in 2019.[6]

One of Transhuman's technologies with which Johnstone has been involved in is "Be A Looper", a free mental health daily check-in app available in 87 countries.[5][7][8] Be A Looper was one of five finalists in the 2018 Global Mobile Award Worlds by GSMA in the category for "Best Use of Mobile for Accessibility & Inclusion",[9][10] a silver winner in the DrivenXDesign design awards,[11] and highlighted in 2020 by Singularity University in the 'Technologies of the Future' series.[12]

Johnstone is listed as an applicant on two patents specific to mental health and artificial intelligence.[13][14]

Awards and media

Johnstone has been recognised in a number of business and technology awards and publications, including:

Johnstone has been featured by Time,[1] Thrive Global, 2GB,[7] France 24,[2] The Tech Tribune,[6] Anthill, Veja[18] The Examiner,[19][3] The CEO Magazine,[5] Billboard, The Irish News,[20] Opovo, The Daily Telegraph,[21] Radar Amazonico,[22] Stigma Podcast,[23] Cosmopolitan, Startup Daily,[10] The Online Mom,[24] Menzies Law,[25] Singularity University,[12] Fala, The Modern Woman Podcast,[4] Belfast Telegraph, Gazeta de Buenos Ayres,[26] The Farmer,[27] Momentum,[28] IWeek,[29] ICworld, Yahoo![30] and Women's Day.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Campbell, Charlie. "She Lost Too Many Friends to Suicide. Now Her App Is Saving Lives". Time. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Perspective - When an app can save lives". France 24. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Bird, Isabel (2 November 2019). "Johnstone a global future leader". The Examiner. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b TMW Live // International Women's Day w/ Julie Stevanja & Amanda Johnstone, retrieved 4 December 2020
  5. ^ a b c d "Transhuman's Amanda Johnstone is Startup Executive of the Year 2020". The CEO Magazine. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  6. ^ a b "2019 Best Tech Startups in Delaware". The Tech Tribune. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  7. ^ a b "2GB Drive with Jim Wilson". 2GB. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  8. ^ "This game-changing app could save your loved one's life". au.be.yahoo.com. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  9. ^ "How 'Tinder' for suicide prevention has spread to 55 countries". Anthill. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Healthtech app Be A Looper aims to help those suffering from depression easily check in with their support loop". startupdaily.net. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Be A Looper". DrivenXDesign. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  12. ^ a b "2020.08.07 - Technologies of the Future - Katy Cooper". Retrieved 4 December 2020 – via YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
  13. ^ US application 2020275875, Johnstone, Amanda; Sugarman, Roy & Mullins, Sean Ray et al., "Method for deriving and storing emotional conditions of humans", published 2020-09-03, assigned to Social Health Innovations Inc. 
  14. ^ US application 2020152323, Johnstone, Amanda; Rozynski, Oliver & El Khoury, Bachir et al., "Methods for tracking and responding to mental health changes in a user", published 2020-05-14, assigned to Social Health Innovations Inc. 
  15. ^ "Top 50 Australian and New Zealand Women in Tech 2016". Startup Daily. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016.
  16. ^ "SmartCompany's International Women's Day Showcase – Sharon Williams". SmartCompany. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Home". parlview.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  18. ^ "'Time' elege Pabllo Vittar 'líder da próxima geração' e critica Bolsonaro". VEJA (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  19. ^ Slatter, Sean (13 October 2018). "FutureFest launches with Hart-y breakfast". The Examiner. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  20. ^ "Overwhelmed Stormzy says he has 'purpose' as he's hailed next generation leader". The Irish News. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  21. ^ "App Whiz a Timely Inclusion". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Retrieved 4 December 2020 – via PressReader.com.
  22. ^ "Pabllo Vittar é eleita uma das "Líderes da próxima geração" pela TIME". Radar Amazônico. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  23. ^ "Using Tech to Stop Suicide with Amanda Johnstone". Stigma Podcast. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  24. ^ ""Be A Looper" – Suicide Prevention App". The Online Mom. 15 October 2019. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  25. ^ "How tech is helping prevent suicide". Menzies Law. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  26. ^ OAM. "Pabllo Vittar é eleita uma das". Gazetaweb (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  27. ^ "The Farmer July-August 2020". Issuu. July 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  28. ^ "Be A Looper แอปพลิเคชั่นเช็กสภาพจิตใจในกลุ่มเพื่อน ป้องกันการฆ่าตัวตาย | The Momentum". Line Today (in Thai). Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  29. ^ "致敬敢冒险的年轻人，TIME揭晓下一代领导人". cms.iweek.ly. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  30. ^ "The app that could save lives this Christmas". au.be.yahoo.com. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2020.