Executive Director
About CPI | Executive Director
Mayra Ruiz-McPherson, PhD(c), MA, MFA is the founder of The CyberPsych Institute (CPI), a mission-driven initiative advocating for people-first approaches to technology.
With 30 years in application development and user experience, Mayra brings systems design and steep, industrial perspectives to the evolving intersections of psychology, technology, and digital life.
Her growing commitment to cyberpsychology emerged from a mounting concern over how AI technologies — including algorithmic systems, agentic and autonomous AIs, social bots, (forthcoming) humanoids, and immersive digital platforms — are shaping not just our behaviors, but our cognition, relationships, and societal values.
Though her initial focus centered on ethical tech design, Mayra’s interests evolved into a broader examination of the psychological impact, influence, and potential of AI-enabled tools across work, communication, identity, and community.
At CPI, Mayra channels her interdisciplinary expertise to advocate for:
- responsible innovation;
- digital well-being;
- and the development of AI literacy across communities.
Through this work, she aims to help bridge the widening gap between tech disruption and public understanding while encouraging innovators to build technology that’s responsible and humane.
- Fall 2025 / AI Tech & Privacy Academy
Critical understanding of AI’s legal and ethical challenges beyond standard certifications and checklist
- July – December 2023 / All Tech Is Human
AI Ethics Mentor for 6-month cohort
Served as 1 of 115 mentors mentoring 375 mentees from nearly 35 countries;
selected from over 800+ mentor applicants
- 2020 – 2025 : dissertation in progress / Fielding Graduate University
PhD in Psychology with Technology & Media contexts
- January 2026 / School of Radical Imagination
A Cyberpsychological Rethinking of Creativity in the Age of AI - October 2024 / US State Department & NYUAD
As US State Department’s Speakers Program, participated in AI Ethics lecture at New York University’s Abu Dhabi campus - June-July 2024 / 3 Digital Media & AI Presentations for US State Department
Business Innovation
Generative AI Tools
Neurodesign & Political Propaganda - April 11, 2024 / Loudoun County Public Library
Humans, Humanoids & Labor - February 7, 2024 / Loudoun County Public Library
Exploring AI Ethics
- EXPERT SOURCE FOR MEDIA LITERACY / Bored Panda • January 13, 2025
50 Interesting images and facts that are simply amazing - EXPERT SOURCE FOR DIGITAL CULTURE / Bored Panda • January 12, 2025
28 Notable websites from the dawn of the Internet that young people surely missed out on - EXPERT SOURCE FOR DIGITAL MEDIA / MIC Magazine • May 20, 2021
YouTubers are risking their lives for our clicks
To learn more about Mayra, check out these links:
- Read Mayra’s welcome message
- Connect with her on LinkedIn
- Attend Mayra’s upcoming online courses
- Support her work here at CPI