Charlie Health Appoints Ashok Balakrishnan CTO to Lead AI Strategy

Charlie Health, a virtual behavioral healthcare provider, appointed Ashok Balakrishnan as Chief Technology Officer, the company said in a press release on March 30. He will lead technology strategy and execution as the company expands its data, infrastructure, and AI capabilities.

Balakrishnan reports to CEO and Co-Founder Carter Barnhart. He is responsible for scaling the company’s technology platform to support growing demand from health systems, payers, and patients across the U.S, according to the company.

The company provides virtual Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) for patients with high-acuity mental health conditions, including severe depression and substance use disorders. It operates in-network with major health plans across 40 states.

Charlie Health is increasing investment in its technology platform as demand for virtual behavioral healthcare continues to rise. The company said the role will focus on improving care personalization, operational efficiency, and platform reliability.

“As demand for high-acuity behavioral healthcare continues to grow, we are making intentional investments in the technology that powers our care model,” Carter Barnhart said. “Ashok brings a combination of technical depth and healthcare experience, and his leadership will help strengthen our infrastructure and support clinicians delivering personalized care.”

Balakrishnan previously served as Chief Technology Officer at K Health, a digital healthcare company that uses AI in primary care delivery. He led development of an AI-enabled care model used by healthcare systems, with a focus on integrating machine learning into clinical workflows.

His experience includes more than 25 years in technology, with work spanning platform architecture, data systems, and applied AI in healthcare settings.

“My experience building AI-enabled care models in the primary care space showed how technology can change how healthcare is delivered,” Balakrishnan said. “Charlie Health operates in mental health, and the opportunity to scale care delivery using AI is a key focus.”

The appointment comes as virtual behavioral health providers expand capacity to address rising demand and provider shortages. Programs such as Intensive Outpatient Programs require structured, multi-session care, which depends on coordinated clinical workflows and consistent delivery across care teams.

In this model, technology systems are used to match patients to appropriate care groups, support clinicians during treatment, and track outcomes over time. Charlie Health said Balakrishnan will lead its next phase of digital and AI development as it continues to expand its care model nationwide.