Dr Ayesha Mian is the Founder and CEO of Synapse Pakistan Neuroscience Institute- a social enterprise dedicated to changing the mental health landscape through evidence based clinical services, research, advocacy and . She is globally renowned for her work in national and international leadership in training, capacity building and advocacy in child & adolescent mental health. She is the founder of Women Emerging-Pakistan Chapter, a global initiative for women leading. She is a public speaker on topics of organisational and women leadership, gender equity, mental health and health education, and runs a weekly podcast called Bass Paanch Minute (Only 5 Minutes). She was the Founding Dean of Students and thr Past Chair of Department of Psychiatry at Aga Khan University-Global (AKU), Karachi, Pakistan from 2013-2021. She consults for the SNF Global Center at Child Mind Institute (CMI), NY.

She received her adult and child and adolescent psychiatry training at the University of Texas, Houston, and worked as faculty at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) before returning to Pakistan in 2013, where among other initiatives, she started the first CAMH fellowship training program in the country.

She is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and sits on the Executive Council of the International Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP). She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK, in recognition for her global leadership in health education.

She has been recognized for her leadership, mentorship and service by various organizations; she was recently awarded the highly prestigious Jeanne Spurlock Award for Diversity and Culture by AACAP. Her other recognitions include the Laughlin Fellowship by American College of Psychiatrists (ACP), Presidential Award and Outstanding Mentor by AACAP, Robert Fellowship for inspirational mentorship, Fulbright and Jaworski awards in educational leadership by BCM and a Lifetime Achievement Award by University of Missouri, Department of Psychiatry.

She is a Harvard Macy Scholar 2012, FAIMER fellow 2017- a fellowship in medical education leadership and an ELAM (Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine for Women) graduate, 2019. She lead the development of the Women Leadership Academy for Aga Khan University-Global.

Dr Mian is a Board Trustee for Karwan-e-Hayat, Pakistan and is on the Board of Advisors for Women Emerging- global, Kazim Trust, Sabeen Mahmood Foundation and the Entrepreneurship and Youth Development Society, SEED, Pakistan.