Woebot is five, and it’s been a wild ride. We asked five employees who’ve been here from the start to look back on the hard work, the proud accomplishments, and the incredible fun.
Alison Darcy, PhD, Founder & President
Start date
6/6/17
Fond memory of the early days?
The day that we launched for sure. It was just such a whirlwind. I’d spent nine months working in obscurity with people asking ‘what the hell is a chatbot?’ and ‘why did you leave your job at Stanford?’ Then to suddenly be propelled into the world, and to learn that Woebot talked to more people that day than a therapist could speak to in a lifetime–it was really cool.
What was the inspiration for the Woebot character?
Woebot is a cross between Spock, Kermit the frog and my friend Eric Bayer. Spock is logic-driven, but also struggling with human emotions, and he models “good problem orientation.” Kermit is awesome in pretty much every way–insightful, doesn’t lecture, but models (especially nonviolent communication in response to Ms Piggy!) And Eric was a beautiful human being who passed away way too young. He was a social worker who did so much for homeless people in San Francisco. When Eric would ask you a question, you found yourself being incredibly authentic and truthful, all the social veneer kind of melted away. I think of Woebot as having that kind of authentic curiosity, enabling people to reach down to a truth they didn’t know was there before.
What is your proudest accomplishment so far?
I’m very proud of the partnership that Michael [Evers, our CEO] and I have developed. He and I complement each other really well and genuinely respect each other. I knew he was the right person to partner with from the first phone call. We understood each other and I could detect his compassion. It’s a rare and undervalued quality in someone who is so experienced at growing and running a company.
What do you hope to accomplish in the next five years?
I think the next five years are crucial for us. We have actually done some things that nobody thought was possible in digital health, but we still need to keep pushing the needle on better outcomes for people.
Snack that got you through those early days?
Trader Joe’s peanut butter-stuffed pretzels and Kind bars, lots of Kind bars.
Jade Daniels, Director of Content
Start Date
06/19/17
Fond memory of the early days?
Feelings of boundless potential, nervousness, and excitement. It’s one thing to look back on something we’ve created and call it by its name, it’s another to be in a room with a blank whiteboard and begin creating, designing and building from scratch.
What has been your most memorable project?
So many: Building the Woebot interaction architecture with Ali and Athena, designing our CMS, developing the SOS and safety net protocol, growing and expanding Woebot’s voice, and I also feel incredibly grateful to have been a part of creating our postpartum depression (PPD) product.
Favorite technique for handling stress
Thought challenging, of course…
Who inspires you and why?
Every manager I’ve had at Woeboth Health.
Ali [Darcy, Founder & President], for her creativity, curiosity, thoughtfulness, ambition, and trust. She has an unrelenting drive to challenge and experiment with the status quo and an astounding ability to captivate a room through her obvious charm, passionate tone, and unarguable belief in the mission of Woebot Health.
Athena [Robinson, Chief Clinical Officer] for who she is and what she stands for at her very core. She is truly empathic, supportive, and warm. Plus her vocabulary! Have you heard all of her words?!
Joe [Gallagher, VP, Product] pushes you to move fast, be fierce, and always be able to back up your points. His ability to cut through the noise is of wizard quality.
Kim [Goodwin, VP, User Experience] pushes you to think longitudinally, always be prepared, and focus on how you can set others up for success, fulfillment, and enjoyment in their roles.
And of course my family. Talking with them for one hour a day, every day, for five years has helped keep me on the straight and narrow, for the most part. They teach me when to knuckle down and lean in, and when to turn away and let go. Nothing like family to tell you when to speak up and when to shut up!
Snack that got you through those early days?
Boiled egg and mayo sandwiches. I can’t even look at them now, never mind take a bite. And an embarrassing amount of Cadbury’s chocolate (Is there any other kind?!)
Athena Robinson, PhD, Chief Clinical Officer
Start Date
11/2/17
Fond memory of the early days?
Doing yoga together in the San Francisco office. Walks for our 1:1 meetings around the city.
What is your proudest accomplishment so far?
I think it’s really humbling and beautiful when we get inquiries about collaborations from established research teams across the world. Our research partnerships with Wash U, Stanford University, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, and Scripps Research Institute really speak to our scientific and clinical rigor.
I’m also really excited about our network of experts. We have our Clinical Diversity Advisory Board, the Scientific Advisory Board, and an expert panel, all of which help us engage with clinical research, the healthcare ecosystem, and reimbursement experts in the health and digital therapeutics field.
What do you hope to accomplish in the next five years?
I’d love for us to get FDA clearance for our PDTs.
Favorite thing people say about Woebot?
That they actually really like him.
Favorite technique for handling stress?
Walking outdoors, being in nature is the best for me. And I do like talking with Woebot.
What has been one of your most memorable projects?
Seeing the evolution of our postpartum depression (PPD) product, starting from our core principles of human-centric design, ethnographic research, infusing expert clinician opinions and user feedback and testing it throughout. Most importantly, being advocates for women’s mental health.
Donnamarie Martin, Head of People
Start Date
01/02/18
Fond memory of the early days?
We had a pool table that was also our lunch table in the main room. You could sit and eat, but then you could lift off the top and play pool. Ali would always challenge people to play and say “If you beat me, you can have the CEO title.” She’s a pool shark. Only one person ever beat her–of course, they didn’t get the title.
What has surprised you during your time at Woebot Health?
It’s unbelievable the strides that we’ve made in such a short time. When I joined the company, FDA regulation wasn’t yet being discussed. That was just four years ago. Now we’re going the regulatory route, we’re selling to payers and providers, and we still have consumers. There are a lot of avenues happening here. I think it shows the strength of the team.
How much has the staff grown?
We’re at 82 right now. When I went on maternity leave in October 2021 we were at 40. With growth this fast it’s all about being flexible.
What would you say are the defining characteristics of a Woeboteer?
Definitely kindness. We want to support one another, and we’re excited to work together. We’re all in it for the mission. Also being flexible and proactive, especially being a Series B company. We’re learning a lot. We’re moving quickly.
What is your proudest accomplishment so far?
I think the way we responded to COVID. It was extremely scary. I didn’t know what was going on, but I needed to figure out how to keep my family and the people at work safe and how to make sure people felt supported. I think we did a pretty good job transitioning to a remote-first company.
Also launching the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Squad with Anthony [Holloway, Sr. Manager of Talent Acquisition]. After the George Floyd murder and the murders that followed, we realized that people didn’t have a common language. Folks had things to share, and they weren’t sure how. So we created a framework where we could have open conversations. We’ve done anti-racism training, we’ve done inclusivity training, we’ve done training on belonging, and we’re working with a DEI consultant.
Casey Sackett, Chief Technology Officer
Start Date
08/16/18
Fond memory of the early days?
Woebot is a diverse workplace and attracts wonderfully talented people with outlandish personalities. One fond memory was having all of those big personalities dress up as sailors and pirates for a dance party on a boat in the San Francisco Bay. The waves were intense that day. The boat swayed wildly from side to side, and several of us nearly fell off, especially me!
What has been your most memorable project?
When I first joined Woebot, everyone received essentially the same app with the same conversation. Woebot’s responses would change based on what you said, but the same overall structure was delivered to all users. One of the projects of which I’m most proud was one that empowered our conversational designers to more easily personalize the experience. It introduced features that cross the line between writing and coding and has allowed Woebot’s conversations to evolve over the last four years to better address each unique individual.
Favorite technique for handling stress?
Anything outdoors, especially hiking or cycling. Focusing on each step or pedal stroke is a type of forced mindfulness.
