Our Team
ADMINISTRATION
Holly McCormack is the Executive Director of The Hawn Foundation. She is committed to promoting and designing innovative educational programs that address the whole student, foster leadership, and transform the classroom experience. Prior to joining THF, Holly served for seven years as a member of the Executive Team at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, the nation’s largest holistic education center. As Director of the Institute for Integrated Leadership at Kripalu, Holly created and directed a college-accredited, residential semester focused on social and emotional learning, authentic leadership and whole person development for 18-23 year-olds that garnered the attention of Harvard researchers. Later she directed Kripalu’s Schools of Professional Training that certify more than 600 students per year. Holly has also worked as the Director of Field Work Term at the innovative Bennington College and as Assistant Director with the Cooperative Association of States for Scholarship, a higher education youth-leadership partnership program between USAID and Georgetown University. Holly co-presented at the Summit of Emerging Visionaries, held in conjunction with the United Nation’s Millennium Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders. She received her degree from Babson College in Entrepreneurialism. Today she applies her entrepreneurial skills and passion for ground breaking educational initiatives toward leading The Hawn Foundation team in launching MindUP America, a national roll out campaign of the Foundation’s signature program.
Dr. Marc A. Meyer is the Director of Educational Programs and Initiatives. He received his B.A. from Arizona State University, B.A. and M. Phil. in medieval history from University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, and Ph.D. in history from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Meyer has taught at a number of colleges and university, including New York University, Columbia University, University of Hawaii in Hilo, Berry College in Rome, GA, University of Rochester, and Colgate-Rochester Divinity School. At Berry College in Rome, GA, Marc was Professor of History and department chair and founder of the College's Honors Program. He was also on the faculty the Dalton School in NYC and Director of Academics and Acting Head of the Ross School, East Hampton, NY. His most recent administrative post was Acting Head of School at Brown School, Schenectady, New York. Marc was creator/developer of The School at Columbia University’s integrated curriculum architecture and many of its institutional structures, and subsequently became The School’s first Director of the Center for Integrated Learning and Teaching. He has also worked as a teacher trainer at Columbia University’s Center for Environmental Research and Conservation, whose mission is in part to help transform New York City schools through the development and implementation of integrated ecology-based science curriculum. Dr. Meyer has published numerous books, including the two-volume The Search for Order: Landmarks of World Civilizations, Medieval Europe, and The Culture of Christendom as well as over three-dozen scholarly articles, papers, and reviews. He has also served as an educational consultant to many schools in New York, Colorado, Texas, California, and Vermont. Marc has also directed a number of on-stage productions for college theater, including A Thousand Clowns and Antigone. At Columbia University's Miller Theatre, he produced An Epiphany of Grace, an evening of original one-act plays that combined the talents of New York's theater community and students from some of the City's public schools. Marc has been working with The Hawn Foundation since 2003 as a teacher trainer and consultant.
MINDUP CONSULTANTS AND FACILITATORS
Latif Abdulalim holds a B.S. in general business from the College of St. Elizabeth and a M.Ed. in educational leadership from George Mason University. Latif is currently completing work on a Ph.D. in special education and educational leadership from George Mason University. Latif has spent 16 years working in schools and is currently the assistant principal at Burke School, Fairfax County, Virginia. He began working with the MindUP program in 2010.
Patricia Achtyl received her B.S. in education from the SUNY Buffalo and for the past 20 years has been teaching nursery and Pre-kindergarten in independent schools. Pat currently teachers at Brown School in Schenectady, New York, where she has been on the faculty for 10 years. Pat has been practicing MindUP with her young students for three years. She says, "I not only consider it important, but also a privilege to introduce the powerful lessons of the MindUp program to our youngest learners. MindUp, through its lessons on focused attention and social and emotional skills, as well as its emphasis on the core lesson of Mindful Breathing, equips children with a firm foundation from the very start. Both the practices and the language become a part of the children's everyday life.”
Pam Becker is an elementary teacher in Coquitlam, British Columbia. She began to pilot MindUp in her classroom four years ago and was amazed at the positive changes seen in her students. Her interest in MindUp led to a study of mindfulness education during her Graduate studies, particularly around the area of using mindfulness practices to improve focus and attention in students. She has since become a MindUp trainer for the Coquitlam School District.
Thomas Bezek received his B.A. at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Tom is the former Assistant Superintendent of the Hennepin County Home School (HCHS), a nationally recognized residential treatment facility for adjudicated youth in Hennepin County, Minnesota. He has worked with young people for 37 years and is a long-time advocate of evidence-based practices in social and emotional learning. His career highlights include promoting programs, including brain-based learning, that enabled his staff and students to make informed choices about their interactions with others. He promotes environments of mutual respect, empathy, self awareness, optimism, and hopefulness.
Heather Bryant has worked in education in Dallas, TX for over twenty years. She is the Associate Director of Education at the J. Erik Jonsson Community School, which is a part of the non-profit organization Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers. Heather received her M.Ed. from the University of North Texas with a focus in early childhood education and reading. She has been personally committed to mindful education for over five years, and recently completed a week-long training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction at the Omega Institute with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli. As J. Erik Jonsson Community School implemented the MindUP program, Heather developed a blog to document the teachers' and students' experiences using the curriculum (www.brainchildblog.com). Heather is The Hawn Foundation’s Associate Director for the South Central Region.
Rebecca Calos has been implementing MindUP in her classroom for four years. She is currently a middle school social studies and language arts teacher at Brown School in Schenectady, New York. Becky received a B.A. in history from the University of Vermont and a M.A. in social sciences from SUNY Albany. She was appointed a James Madison Fellow in 1999. She has taught for 17 years. Becky is also a producer and director of the Young People’s Theater Company at Brown School. She writes, "I have been so impressed by the positive impact mindful practice has had on our Middle School students, especially in enabling them to experience greater success on assessments, on the athletic field, and on stage." Rebecca serves as The Hawn Foundation’s Associate Director of the Northeast Region.
Jane Chabot has taught students K-5, worked with children in the resource room setting and has also interacted with children as a coach and a camp counselor outside of the classroom. Through her experiences with children she was continually struck by how influential a child’s emotional state is in relation to their success in a given area. Jane was thrilled when she came across the work of Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl and theory connected with practice. A colleague introduced Jane to the MindUP program four years ago and the program has helped students understand their development and regulate their behaviors.
Constance Clark received her B.A. in Communications from Ramapo College, Mahwah, NJ, and completed her post-graduate studies in Early Childhood Education at Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ. She is an educator in Newark, NJ. Connie has taught third grade at Harriet Tubman National Blue Ribbon School in Newark for 10 years. When MindUP was introduced into the Newark Public School District in 2010, Connie took advantage of the opportunity to introduce the program into her classroom and later received training as a MindUP Facilitator. She has found that MindUP greatly affects not only her students and teaching, but also her parenting of her two sons. Connie remarks, "The Hawn Foundation's recognition of the importance of using brain-based research to assist in developing children's academic and social and emotional competencies is an amazing feature of the MindUP program that really affects a child's ability to learn as well as their academic performance."
Kim Cooper holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from SUNY Potsdam and a M.A. in Curriculum, Instruction in Technology from The University of Phoenix. Kim has been teaching at Brown School, Schnectady, NY for 13 years as a Technology teacher, Wellness/Physical Education instructor and coach for Kindergarten through eighth grade, and a fourth-grade classroom teacher. She has been implementing MindUP and integrating it into her curriculum for four years. Kim says, "Teaching MindUP in all my classes has had a very positive impact on student learning. Also, a mindful attitude is something all teachers should strive to foster in every child."
Pamela Hoeffner has been teaching for more than twenty years. She currently teaches fourth grade at Brown School, Schenectady, NY. Her experience ranges from nursery through fifth grades. Ms. Hoeffner earned her B.A. in Elementary Education and Science, at the College of Staten Island, NY. Pam says, “Promoting a process of learning in which children are encouraged to be responsible and independent has always been a goal in my classrooms. The ideal classroom is a place where learning and knowledge are interactive and dynamic, encouraging collaboration, and the exchange of ideas between everyone within the community, and MindUP promotes this through the ‘optimistic classroom’.”
Greg Jabaut has been teaching MindUP for three years. He was awarded a B.A. in Hispanic Studies from Hamilton College and went on to receive a M.A. in Latin American Literature and Literary Theory at SUNY Albany. Greg is currently the Assistant Head of School at Brown School, Schenectady, NY where he also teaches middle school Spanish. Greg reports, "The effects of MindUP on middle school students is nothing short of amazing. Young people become more aware of themselves, and as a result are more open to learning and maintaining positive friendships--not to mention reducing the stress and anxiety that often accompanies these important transitional years."
Dr. Jill Jakulski is the principal of Burke School, Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia. She received a B.S. in elementary education from Kansas State University, an M.A. in education and human development from George Washington University, and a Ph.D. in special education and educational leadership from George Mason University. Jill has spent 22 years in education, including two years in the Peace Corp. She has been involved within MindUP for a year and counting.
Kathleen Keese is a social worker and Social Work Department Chair at Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School. She received her B.S.W. and M.S.W. from SUNY Albany. Kathy was awarded the “University Women's Award” from the University of Albany’s Women's Association of School of Social Welfare. She has served as a social worker in schools and hospitals for over a decade. Kathleen remarks, “It has been my belief that a child's emotional self needs to be nurtured, protected and developed in order to be able to learn and to navigate our complex world. If a child can breathe deeply, focus intently, listen to the world around them and respect themselves and others, lifelong learning and happiness will be their reward. MindUp so clearly supports this mission.”
Michelle Kinder is the Director of Therapeutic Services at a non-profit agency in Dallas, TX, the Salesmanship Club Youth & Family Centers. Michelle received her M.Ed. in Education Psychology from the University of Texas, and has worked in the mental health field as a Licensed Professional Counselor for over 15 years. She grew up in Guatemala and is bilingual/ bicultural. Michelle developed a Spanish parenting curriculum, Fortaleza en la Familia (Strong Families), which has been used to train thousands of parents in the Dallas area. In addition, she conducts trainings on Mindful Parenting—largely to remind herself to be present to the gifts of raising her own daughters, Maya and Sophia.
Marna Macmillan is the Social Responsibility Coordinator for the Coquitlam School District in British Columbia, and holds a Masters of Education from Simon Fraser University. She began to pilot MindUP in her grade 8 classroom four years ago, and saw tremendous results. When she worked as a Faculty Associate for the Professional Development Program at SFU, she continued to use the program with her student teachers, activating their interest to become trained and use it with their students from kindergarten to grade 8. She now facilitates and supports MindUP training and touchback sessions for teachers in her school district three times a year.
Laura Moore is an Autism Specialist and Speech-Language Pathologist in Intermediate District 287 in Minneapolis, MN, which serves 13 school districts in the Minneapolis, suburban area. She has been using MindUP with her students, all of whom have special education disabilities, since 2007. Laura received her B.A. in Communication Disorders from the University of Kentucky and her M.A. in Communication Disorders from the University of Minnesota in 1996. She has also worked in special education settings in Australia. Laura comments, “MindUP helps students understand how their brain and emotional reactions work to impact learning, personal happiness and social relationships. Students feel empowered by their ability to engage in the initial lessons about the brain and senses. The information from these lessons support subsequent lessons about social and emotional well-being for themselves and others.”
Patricia Morris is a kindergarten teacher in the Vancouver public school system, where she has taught for over 20 years. Patricia received her B.A. in English and Music History and a B.Ed. in elementary education and ESL, both from the University of Alberta, Canada. She has a way of drawing out the very best in her students through her belief in their abilities, compassion, and commitment to play-based learning. She is passionate about teaching the concept of inner and outer peace to children as a way toward greater world peace. Patricia has been using MindUP in her classroom for a few years. She is also know for her innovative projects in the visual arts.
Dr. Charlene Myklebust has been practicing MindUP for four years in Minnesota. She is currently the Director of Mental Health and Partnerships for a consortium of 13 Minneapolis area suburban school districts. Charlene received an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Adler Institute in Chicago and then went on to obtain a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago. Charlene has worked in the field of education for 38 years as a regular and special education teacher, principal, and district administrator. She comments, “MindUP is the ideal program to help students relax and focus their attention throughout the day. It is teacher friendly, as it is easy to use, cost-effective, and can be integrated into any subject matter. An additional serendipitous benefit is that it helps educators to be in the moment with their students.” Dr. Myklebust is The Hawn Foundation's Associate Director for the North Central Region.
Sandy Nobles is currently the Director of Education of the Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers (SCYFC) of Dallas, TX. She has been an educator for 35 years. Nobles began working with the Salesmanship Club in 2006 as the principal of the J. Erik Jonsson Community School. She arrived with nearly three decades of public school experience as an elementary school principal, a central administration director of K-12 instructional initiatives, a K-6 master teacher, and classroom teacher. Sandy received her M.Ed. and Principal Certification from Texas A&M, Commerce. With her insight into building and sustaining successful schools and by working side by side with teachers and staff, she has positively influenced the educational programs in SCYFC. Nobles was a featured principal in the School Improvement Network PD360 training program "No Excuses," and in their webinar certification course "Equity 101." The J. Erik Jonsson Community School was recently featured as "The Urban Lab" in the PD360 training program, which highlighted many aspects of the first year implementation of MindUP at the school.
Lisa Pedrini is the Manager for Social Responsibility and Diversity with the Vancouver School District. Some of her responsibilities include safe and caring schools, supporting and encouraging social and emotional learning among students (including the implementation of The MindUP curriculum), and providing training and coordination for other prevention programs. Lisa has a M.S. degree in leadership and training. She often works collaboratively with Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl of the University of British Columbia and one of MindUP's primary researchers. Lisa's 30 years in education also include classroom teaching, educational consulting, and program development. Lisa is The Hawn Foundation's Associate Director of the Western Canada Region.
Marianne Prins has taught elementary school children for 25 years in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was introduced to MindUP by her school counselor in 2008, and experienced the positive impact it had on the development and learning of her students. She has a B.A. in philosophy from the University of San Diego and a B.Ed. in early childhood education from the University of British Columbia. Marianne believes that MindUP provides teachers and students alike the skills to be present in the moment and knowledge about the brain and helps everyone lead optimistic and joyful lives.
Dawn Przekurat has been teaching elementary school children for 28 years—24 of them at Brown School in Schenectady, New York. Dawn has practiced MindUP in her classroom for three years. She was a part of the first all-school MindUP implementation in the U.S. and participated in the development of the MindUP curriculum and the Scholastic/Hawn Foundation training video. She received a B.S. degree in elementary education and child development from SUNY Oneonta and a M.S. in early childhood education from the College of Saint Rose, Albany, New York. Dawn has observed, “MindUP provides children with strategies to cope with everyday situations as well as learning about the brain and how to be present in the moment.”
Carly Reynolds has taught both first and second grades at Brown School in Schenectady, NY. She received her B.S. (Honors) in elementary education and history and is completing her M.S. in Literacy at SUNY Albany. Prior to entering the classroom, Carly served as the director of the SSCCORE Summer Learning Camp in Schenectady and an afterschool coordinator at Brown School. Carly has been implementing MindUP to the benefit of her students for three years.
Patti Vitale received a B.A degree from Marymount Manhattan College. She has been a member of the Brown School faculty since 2001. Patti has taught Pre-K and second grade, and is currently serving as the Head of School. She has experience teaching second, fifth, and sixth grades in other schools as well. Since the program was piloted at Brown School in 2006, Mrs. Vitale has been working with mindful education as a consultant and teacher trainer through The Hawn Foundation. For her, it has been very rewarding to bring the MindUp program to other schools. She remarks, “Children should have a love of learning and they should be encouraged to challenge themselves academically and socially in a safe environment. I know that with MindUP, this is not just a possibility but a reality.”
Trish Voutilainen teaches French Immersion at the elementary level in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Her passion for teaching has always focused on social responsibility and social emotional learning, so she was immediately interested when she first took the MindUp training in 2009. She has since been implementing the program in her French Immersion classroom. Trish was impressed by the tools and language that her students gained from MindUp. When the opportunity arose to become a trainer for the program, she was happy to be involved in such a positive and beneficial program.
Victoria Zelenak is one of the original members of the group of consultants recruited to work on the MindUP curriculum and one of the first to implement the program in an American School. She received her B.A. in elementary education and an M.A. in school administration and communication from Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ. Victoria has spent 28 years in the field of education as a teacher, community education and public relations director, vice-principal and principal and now as the superintendent of the Cape May, NJ school district. Victoria notes, “First MindUP changed my life, then classrooms of kids and teachers, then the whole school. I don’t know how we could live and learn without it.”
THE HAWN FOUNDATION TECHNOLOGY GROUP
Walter G. Meyer is The Hawn Foundation’s lead technologist. He is currently a technology specialist at SUNY Purchase, NY. He has worked for Apple, Inc., Columbia University, and Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in New York City. Walter has also served as a technology consultant for independent schools in New York and New Jersey and Columbia University's Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.
Jennifer Davenport is the Administrative Computing Coordinator at Riverdale Country School. She worked at The School at Columbia University, supporting technology and teaching both fencing and media literacy. Jennifer was Director of Technology at Saddle River Day School. She is the author of Anna Begins, a young adult novel and winner of the 2008 Black Heron Press Award for Social Fiction.
Amy Wright is the co-founder and Vice-President of Flat Toads, Inc., a technology consulting firm in NY. Amy served as the Director of Technology and Communications at The School at Columbia University and at Ross School, East Hampton, New York. Amy is an Apple Distinguished Educator, which recognizes educational excellence and leadership in K-12 and Higher Education professionals possessing an identified expertise in educational technology leadership.
