Doctoral nursing student named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in healthcare

Alexander Sanchez, MSN, RN, PMHNP-BC, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student at the UCLA Joe C. Wen School of Nursing, has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 – Healthcare list for his contributions to mental health access and nurse-led innovation.

“This recognition is deeply meaningful,” said Sanchez. “I want to express my sincere gratitude to Forbes but also to the faculty, mentors, and community at UCLA who have supported my academic and professional growth. The guidance, encouragement, and commitment to excellence within the Joe C. Wen School of Nursing has directly shaped my leadership, clinical practice, and the impact I aim to make in mental healthcare.”

Sanchez’s journey to the 30 Under 30 list began on the frontlines of healthcare. As a critical care nurse and ICU travel nurse during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he witnessed firsthand the challenges facing patients and providers. As a charge nurse in a mental healthcare clinic, he saw a troubling pattern: patients in acute psychiatric distress were stabilized and discharged, only to return due to the lack of outpatient follow-up care. These experiences shaped his clinical philosophy and sparked a vision for a new model of care; one that prioritizes continuity, accessibility, and equity.

In 2022, Sanchez turned his vision into reality by founding Nu Leaf Mental Health Group, a healthcare company providing a comprehensive range of outpatient psychiatric services online and in-person.  With no outside investors, Sanchez self-funded and built Nu Leaf from the ground up while continuing to work as a nurse. What began as a solo endeavor has grown into a multimillion-dollar, nurse-led organization serving patients across more than 40 counties in California.

Today, Nu Leaf generates over $2 million annually and is expected to surpass $3 million in 2026. Its services span psychiatric evaluations, medication management, psychotherapy integration, telepsychiatry, and care coordination, offered in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin to meet the needs of California’s diverse communities.

Nu Leaf’s impact has been profound. By expanding access to Medi-Cal and Medicare, reducing wait times for psychiatric appointments, and providing culturally responsive care, the organization has served thousands of patients who might otherwise go without care. Sanchez has also made workforce development a priority, creating a preceptorship program that has trained more than 50 psychiatric nurse practitioner students from universities nationwide. His scholarly work at UCLA Nursing complements these efforts, focusing on implementing structured mentorship programs to strengthen role transition and professional development for new PMHNPs.

Looking ahead, Sanchez plans to scale Nu Leaf’s impact while maintaining its human-centered approach. He is preparing to launch an Intensive Outpatient Program that integrates psychotherapy and relapse-prevention strategies, expand in-person and telehealth services statewide, and develop digital education resources for PMHNPs. Long-term goals include establishing a Federally Qualified Health Center to further expand access for low-income and underinsured communities.

For Sanchez, being named to Forbes 30 Under 30 is not just a personal milestone – it is a testament to the power of nurse-led innovation in transforming mental healthcare.

“At the heart of everything, I care deeply about how people – today and in the future – receive mental healthcare,” he said. “Nu Leaf represents my belief that nurses can build solutions, lead systems change and reimagine what mental health access should look like.”