Apple Sepulveda is a pediatric occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She also serves as Interim Chair/Vice-Chair of 2020 Mom, an LA-based organization dedicated to maternal mental health, that is no stranger to the Upswell blog. Previously, we have shared Q&As with 2020 Mom Board Chair Kiley Krekorian Hanish and Executive Director Joy Burkhard.

Apple is originally from the Philippines and is a self-identifying beach-lover. She’s currently a Robert  Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar Fellow, and she’s going to be at Upswell this November in Los Angeles.

Q: In a few sentences, tell us who you are – what drives you, what you’re working on, and why you’re inspired to make the world a better place?

AS: My name is Apple Sepulveda, I am a pediatric occupational therapist working towards improving the lives of children by propelling change in maternal mental health care.

Q: What’s your favorite way to relax?   

AS: As an immigrant from the Philippines, a country with over seven thousand islands, I must say that my favorite way to relax is having a massage by the beach. Now that I am in LA, I love massages at a spa.  It is the second-best thing, and I wish I did it more often.

Q: “Changemaker” is an intentionally broad term. What does it mean to you?

AS: A changemaker is person who can recognize and find creative ways to bridge gaps, as well as implement ways to shift current conditions or behaviors for the collective good.

Q: What excites you most about Upswell?

AS: To be at a gathering of changemakers who want to make a world a better place. I am ready to be inspired!