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Hire Sonia P.

United Kingdom

USD 150 /hr

Research & product leader in digital health & behaviour change

Profile Summary

Behavioural scientist with 10+ years of experience building health products from concept to validation to scale. As founder of Outset Wellness, I led product, behavioural design, research, user testing and strategy for a neurodivergent-friendly movement platform. Previously, I was Director of Science at Flo Health and VP of Science at Healios, where I helped shape and evidence-based interventions used by millions. My background in psychology (30+ peer-reviewed papers) gives me an edge in building and evaluating products that drive change. I’ve led cross-functional teams of 15+ across product, design, research and engineering.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ☆ Neuroscience
• ☆ Neuropsychology
• ☆ Exercise & Fitness
• ☆ Physical Fitness
• ☆ Running
• ☆ Human Behavior & Psychology
• ☆ Cognitive Science
• ☆ Clinical Psychology
• ☆ Health Psychology
• ☆ Design Thinking
• ☆ E-Health & Telemedicine
• ☆ Counseling & Mental Health Support
• ☆ Stress Management
• ☆ ADHD

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Data & AI
• Product Development

Writing Medical Writing, Non-Medical Regulatory Writing, Technical Writing, Copywriting, Creative Writing, Newswriting, Audio Transcription

Research Market Research, User Research, Feasibility Study, Technology Scouting, Fact Checking, Gap Analysis, Scientific and Technical Research, Systematic Literature Review, Secondary Data Collection

Consulting Business Strategy Consulting, Go-to-Market Strategy Consulting, Digital Strategy Consulting, Healthcare Consulting, Scientific and Technical Consulting, Regulatory Consulting

Data & AI Predictive Modeling, Statistical Analysis, Data Visualization

Product Development Product Evaluation, Product Validation, Product Compliance , Concept Development, Product Launch Support, Packaging Design, Prototyping

Work Experience

CEO and Founder

Outset Wellness

December 2023 - Present

VP of Science

Healios

March 2023 - June 2024

Director of Science

Flo Health

January 2022 - March 2023

Head of Clinical Research

Thrive Therapeutic Software

February 2021 - January 2022

Lead Research Scientist

Huma

September 2020 - February 2021

Research scientist

BioBeats

July 2019 - August 2020

Visiting Lecturer

University of Hertfordshire

November 2018 - July 2019

Honorary RA contract as member of KatLab

University College London

October 2015 - June 2019

Lecturer in Biological Psychology and Cognitive Neuropsychology

University of Hertfordshire

January 2018 - October 2018

Researcher

Centro Puzzle (Neurorehabilitation Centre)

November 2014 - September 2015

Education

PhD in Psychology and Neuropsychology (Psychology)

University of Hertfordshire

October 2015 - November 2019

MSc Science of the mind (Psychology)

University of Turin

October 2011 - March 2014

BSc in Psychological Sciences and Techniques (Psychology)

University of Turin

October 2008 - November 2011

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.

Publications

PREPRINT

Sonia Ponzo, Kerri Bailey, Merle May, Dinora Kruja, Miren Tamayo-Elizalde, Ryan Bamford, David Mushati, Sophie Valentine, David Plans (2024). Understanding families’ anxieties about their child going through an online autism assessment .

Sonia Ponzo, Merle May, Miren Tamayo-Elizalde, Kerri Bailey, Alanna J Shand, Ryan Bamford, Jan Multmeier, Ivan Griessel, Benedek Szulyovszky, William Blakey, et al. (2023). App Characteristics and Accuracy Metrics of Available Digital Biomarkers for Autism: Scoping Review (Preprint) .

Sonia Ponzo, Merle May, Miren Tamayo-Elizalde, Kerri Bailey, Alanna J. Shand, Ryan Bamford, Jan Multimeier, Ivan Griessel, Benedek Szulyovszky, William Blakey, et al. (2023). App characteristics and accuracy metrics of available digital biomarkers for autism: a scoping review .

Sonia Ponzo, Jennifer Todd, David Plans, Michael Lee, Jonathan Bird, Davide Morelli, Adam Cunningham, Jennifer Murphy, Geoffrey Bird, Jane E Aspell (2023). Heightened Interoception in Adults with Fibromyalgia .

Sonia Ponzo, Valentina Moro, Michele Scandola, Valeria Gobbetto, Sara Bertagnoli, Maddalena Beccherle, Sahba Besharati, Aikaterini Fotopoulou, Paul Mark Jenkinson (2023). Examining the role of self-reported somatosensory sensations in body (dis)ownership: a scoping review and empirical study of patients with a disturbed sense of limb ownership .

Sonia Ponzo, Lucie Ollis, David Plans, Davide Morelli, Mark Cropley (2023). How does resilience influence cardiovascular recovery after acute stress? An investigation of the biological markers of resilience: A cross-sectional study (Preprint) .

Sonia Ponzo, Aliaksandr Kazlou, Kateryna Bornukova, Aidan Wickham, Vladimir Slaykovskiy, Kimberly Peven, Anna Klepchukova, Sarah Garfinkel (2022). Effects of stress on pain in females using a mobile health app in the Russia- Ukraine conflict .

Sonia Ponzo, Kerri Bailey, Johanna Scheutzow, Emily Cooke, Katie Taylor, Francesco Silvestrin, Anna Naumenko, Rebecca Hadley, Adam Huxley (2022). Employees’ support strategies for mental wellbeing during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: Recommendations for employers in the UK workforce .

Sonia Ponzo, Liudmila Zhaunova, Ryan Bamford, Tara Radovic, Aidan Wickham, Kimberly Peven, Jazz Croft, Anna Klepchukova (2022). Characterization of Self-reported Improvements in Knowledge and Health Among Users of Flo Period Tracking App: Cross-sectional Survey (Preprint) .

Sonia Ponzo, Liudmila Zhaunova, Ryan Bamford, Tara Radovic, Aidan Wickham, Kimberly Peven, Jazz Croft, Anna Klepchukova (2022). Characterisation of self-reported improvements in education and health among users of Flo period tracking app: cross-sectional survey .

Sonia Ponzo, Aidan Wickham, Ryan Bamford, Tara Radovic, Liudmila Zhaunova, Kimberly Peven, Anna Klepchukova, Jennifer Payne (2022). Menstrual cycle-associated symptoms and workplace productivity in US employees: a cross-sectional survey of users of the Flo mobile phone app .

Sonia Ponzo, Davide Morelli, Chatrin Suksasilp, Massimo Cairo, David Plans(2021). Measuring interoception: the CARdiac Elevation Detection Task . Center for Open Science

Sonia Ponzo, David Plans, Geoff Bird, Christopher Ring, Davide Morelli, Connor Tom Keating, Jennifer Murphy, Caroline Catmur, massimo cairo (2020). Measuring Interoception: The Phase Adjustment Task .

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Sonia Ponzo, Merle May, Miren Tamayo-Elizalde, Kerri Bailey, Alanna J Shand, Ryan Bamford, Jan Multmeier, Ivan Griessel, Benedek Szulyovszky, William Blakey, et al. (2023). App Characteristics and Accuracy Metrics of Available Digital Biomarkers for Autism: Scoping Review . JMIR mHealth and uHealth.

Sonia Ponzo, Liudmila Zhaunova, Ryan Bamford, Tara Radovic, Aidan Wickham, Kimberly Peven, Jazz Croft, Anna Klepchukova (2023). Characterization of Self-reported Improvements in Knowledge and Health Among Users of Flo Period Tracking App: Cross-sectional Survey . JMIR mHealth and uHealth.

Sonia Ponzo, Aidan Wickham, Ryan Bamford, Tara Radovic, Liudmila Zhaunova, Kimberly Peven, Anna Klepchukova, Jennifer L Payne (2022). Menstrual cycle-associated symptoms and workplace productivity in US employees: A cross-sectional survey of users of the Flo mobile phone app . DIGITAL HEALTH.

Sonia Ponzo, Nicola R Hemmings, Jamie M Kawadler, Rachel Whatmough, Alessio Rossi, Davide Morelli, Geoffrey Bird, David Plans(2021). Development and Feasibility of a Digital Acceptance and Commitment Therapy–Based Intervention for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Pilot Acceptability Study . JMIR Formative Research. {JMIR} Publications Inc.

Sonia Ponzo, Jamie M Kawadler, Nicola Rose Hemmings, Davide Morelli, Geoffrey Bird, David Plans(2020). Effectiveness of a Smartphone App (BioBase) for Reducing Anxiety and Increasing Mental Well-Being: Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study . JMIR Formative Research. {JMIR} Publications Inc.

Sonia Ponzo, Olga Chelidoni, David Plans, Davide Morelli, Mark Cropley (2020). Exploring the Effects of a Brief Biofeedback Breathing Session Delivered Through the BioBase App in Facilitating Employee Stress Recovery: Randomized Experimental Study . JMIR mHealth and uHealth.

Sonia Ponzo, Davide Morelli, Jamie M Kawadler, Nicola Rose Hemmings, Geoffrey Bird, David Plans(2020). Efficacy of the Digital Therapeutic Mobile App BioBase to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Well-Being Among University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial . JMIR mHealth and uHealth. {JMIR} Publications Inc.

Sonia Ponzo, Louise P. Kirsch, Aikaterini Fotopoulou, Paul M. Jenkinson (2019). Vestibular modulation of multisensory integration during actual and vicarious tactile stimulation . Psychophysiology.

Ponzo S, Kirsch LP, Fotopoulou A, Jenkinson PM(2018). Balancing body ownership: Visual capture of proprioception and affectivity during vestibular stimulation . Neuropsychologia.

OTHER

Sonia Ponzo, Davide Morelli, Chatrin Suksasilp, Massimo Cairo, David Plans (2021). Measuring Interoception: the CARdiac Elevation Detection Task (Preprint) .

Sonia Ponzo, Nicola R Hemmings, Jamie M Kawadler, Rachel Whatmough, Alessio Rossi, Davide Morelli, Geoffrey Bird, David Plans(2020). Development and Feasibility of a Digital Acceptance and Commitment Therapy–Based Intervention for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Pilot Acceptability Study (Preprint) . {JMIR} Publications Inc.

Sonia Ponzo, Olga Chelidoni, David Plans, Davide Morelli, Mark Cropley (2020). Exploring the Effects of a Brief Biofeedback Breathing Session Delivered Through the BioBase App in Facilitating Employee Stress Recovery: Randomized Experimental Study (Preprint) .

Sonia Ponzo, Jamie M Kawadler, Nicola Rose Hemmings, Davide Morelli, Geoffrey Bird, David Plans(2020). Effectiveness of a Smartphone App (BioBase) for Reducing Anxiety and Increasing Mental Well-Being: Pilot Feasibility and Acceptability Study (Preprint) . {JMIR} Publications Inc.

Sonia Ponzo, Davide Morelli, Jamie M Kawadler, Nicola Rose Hemmings, Geoffrey Bird, David Plans(2020). Efficacy of the Digital Therapeutic Mobile App BioBase to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Well-Being Among University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint) . {JMIR} Publications Inc.

Sonia Ponzo, Louise P. Kirsch, Aikaterini Fotopoulou, Paul M. Jenkinson(2019). Vestibular modulation of multisensory integration during actual and vicarious tactile stimulation . Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Sonia Ponzo, Louise P Kirsch, Aikaterini (Katerina) Fotopoulou, Paul M Jenkinson(2019). Vestibular modulation of multisensory integration during actual and vicarious tactile stimulation . Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory