International Bullying Prevention Conference San Diego
 
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Theatre of Peace
Youth Bullying Awareness Acting Troupe
Act Like You Matter
Theatre of Peace is a troupe of experienced youth actors ranging in age from 11-21. We run Workshops and Assemblies for K-12th on-site at Southern California schools, raising awareness about various forms of bullying and demonstrating tools students can use immediately to overcome and combat bullying and build resilience. Each of us has had experience with bullying: some of us have been targets, some bystanders, and, yes, some bullies (but not anymore!) We act as consultants to Ms. Anichini (President of Act Like You Matter), giving feedback about dialogue and bullying scenarios to ensure that all of our content is current, believable, and relevant to kids our age and younger. We believe that students are more likely to learn from anti-bullying programs that are delivered by students, as opposed to adults. Our mission: to help kids and teens believe in themselves, stand up for themselves and others, and change the way our generation treats each other.
 
Kaito Abe
Internet Security Advisor Support Staff
Kyoto Police Department
Kaito Abe is a master’s student at Osaka University of Education and a graduate of Wesleyan University, Connecticut. He is also Internet Security Advisor Support Staff at Kyoto Police Department, Secretary for Teens Online Japan, and a KDDI Cellphone Class Registered Facilitator.
 
Patricia Agatston, PhD
Counselor/Consultant
Prevention/Intervention Center
Dr Agatston is co-author of the book, Cyberbullying: Bullying in the Digital Age with Robin Kowalski, Ph.D., and Susan Limber, Ph.D. and has co-authored a chapter for the book, Expert Perspectives in Cyberbullying as well as a chapter for the book Media Violence and Children. She is also co-author of the Cyberbullying Curriculum for Grades 6 – 12 and the Cyberbullying Prevention Curriculum for Grades 3 - 5. She has been quoted in articles on cyberbullying in The Washington Post, CNET news, Time Magazine, and the Christian Science Monitor.  Dr. Agatston is a Licensed Professional Counselor with the Cobb County School District’s Prevention/Intervention Center and a Licensed Trainer in Restorative Practices. She is the Past President of the Board of Directors for the International Bullying Prevention Association and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Net Safety Collaborative.
 
Students from Anchorage Youth Vote
League of Women Voters of Anchorage
Anchorage Youth Vote has been working to keep youth civically active since 2002. Youth Vote is a youth-led project hosted by the League of Women Voters of Anchorage, Alaska, that seeks to empower youth voice through education and engagement in the democratic process. In addition to youth moderated forums, mock-elections, and candidate events for students, Youth Vote creates media focused on civility and inclusion.
 
Amy Jones Anichini
Founder & President
Act Like You Matter
Amy is a youth empowerment and anti-bullying mentor. She authors content that teaches children and teens how to overcome and combat bullying and equips their parents and teachers to help them. As Founder & President of California non-profit Act Like You Matter and Executive Director & Author of Theatre of Peace: Bullying Awareness Acting Troupe, Amy creates and runs anti-bullying workshops, packed with tools students can use immediately, for K-12 in San Diego County.
 
Mary Baird
Mentor Coordinator
Penn State Behrend
Mary Baird, M.S. serves as CORE’s Mentor Coordinator since July 2016. She has over a decade of experience in mentoring both with high school students as well as college students. Formerly, she served as the CEO of The Ophelia Project based in Erie, PA. During her tenure, she traveled throughout the nation working with students at all levels in mentoring capacities. She has co-authored mentoring and anti-bullying curriculum and video materials that appear on CORE’s site as part of The Ophelia Project works. Her true passion lies in working towards building connected relationships between college students, community mentors and the middle school aged children they strive to serve.
 
Monica Bauer
Director of Hispanic Affairs
Anti-Defamation League
Monica Bauer is the Director of Hispanic Affairs for the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). She is responsible for establishing and strengthening ADL’s relationships with the Hispanic/Latino community. Monica is originally from Mexico City, she moved to San Diego in 1999 with her husband and children. Monica received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City. In 2017 she received a Post-Graduate Certificate in U.S.-Mexico Border Studies from El Colegio de la Frontera Norte and UC San Diego Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies School of Global Policy and Strategy.
 
Dr. Sheri Bauman
Professor
College of Education, University of Arizona
Dr. Sheri Bauman is a professor at the University of Arizona. Before earning her doctorate, she worked in public schools for 30 years, 18 of those as a school counselor. She conducts research on bullying, cyberbullying, peer victimization, and related issues. She is the sole author/editor or first author of six books and has over 60 publications in peer-reviewed journals, and many book chapters. She is on the board of trustees of DitchtheLabel.org, and serves as their research consultant.
 
James Brown
Assistant Professor
Indiana University, Bloomington
James Brown, PhD, LCSW, was a school social worker for 13 years in public schools before turning his efforts towards bullying prevention research. He has focused his bully prevention research on Parents, Policies, and Schools as well as the Definition of Bullying, Currently James is working with a inter disciplinary team to begin cloud based services to address school bullying.
 
Justin Bucchio
Assistant Professor
Middle Tennessee State University
Justin Bucchio is an assistant professor of social work at Middle Tennessee State University and the Program Coordinator for the Mid-TN Collaborative MSW Program. Justin received his PhD from the University of Tennessee in 2012, and has research interests in sexual minority foster youth and child welfare. He has professional experience in: child welfare, developmental disabilities (Autism), therapeutic interventions and private in-home services, psychiatric residential treatment, mental health and co-occurring diagnoses, and hospital social work. Justin also specializes in curriculum development and trainings. Justin’s experience with social work stretches back to his early years in foster care and is driven by personal experiences to enhance the quality and efficacy of child welfare practices to generate more successful outcomes of all youth in out-of-home care.
 
Nancy Buyle
School Safety/Student Assistance Consultant
Macomb Intermediate School District
Nancy has worked at the Macomb Intermediate School District for 18 years providing leadership, service and support to educators in Michigan. Areas of focus are: school safety, crisis response, suicide prevention, bullying prevention and mental health promotion. She also leads the county’s suicide prevention coalition and is an associate of Strategic Alternatives to Prevention Education (SAPE). SAPE has developed the comprehensive research-based Circle of Support for Learning: Bully-Free Schools. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and has her MA in Counseling and Mental Health.
 
Nicholas Carlisle
Founder and President
No Bully
Nicholas Carlisle is Founder and CEO of No Bully - (nobully.org). Nicholas graduated from Oxford University, practiced as a barrister in London as a psychotherapist in California. He has been recognized by Toms as a Game Changer, by Ashoka as a Champion of Children’s Wellbeing and by Hearts on Fire as a visionary. He is a seasoned conference and TEDx speaker and commentator on school bullying for television and radio stations across the world.
 
Stephanie Carpenter
Founder
Through the Mind into the Heart
Stephanie Carpenter is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University’s Psychology and Honors programs. She has research interests in social-emotional learning, causes of bullying, and effective intervention programs. Stephanie’s passion to help victims and perpetrators of bullying derives from her personal experiences being bullied and has motivated her to pursue launching a nonprofit, Through the Mind into the Heart. Her nonprofit will work with school systems to find, implement, and track SEL programs.
 
Cristy Clouse
Vice President of Innovation, CalTAC-PBIS trainer and consultant
California Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Cristy Clouse is Vice President of Innovation for the California Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as well as a PBIS trainer and consultant. She has 34 years of educational experience as a Speech and Language Therapist, Special and General Educator (PreK-8), Behavior Intervention Case Manager and Administrator. Cristy is passionate about her current work; developing positive, safe and equitable learning environments for ALL students, preschool to high school.
 
Jeff Collins
Vice President
After School
As After School Vice President, Jeff Collins manages strategic partnerships, public relations, and legal affairs. After School is the largest teen-focused social network with millions of teen users. Collins’ efforts have helped bring new activities, information, and opportunities to users in areas such as mental health, education, civic engagement, sexual education, and social change. Jeff was formerly Senior Counsel for Global Policy at Chevron and White House National Security Council Director in the Obama Administration.
 
Amy Coren
Assistant Teaching Professor
Florida State University
Dr. Coren is a former Fulbright Scholar to the University of Pécs, Hungary and currently holds a dual appointment as an assistant professor in the Departments of Psychology and Administration of Justice at Northern Virginia Community College. Dr. Coren’s research focuses on decision making, identity, and delinquency in adolescents. She is interested in bullying and mental health, focusing on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-related health impacts on victims of bullying and cyberbullying.
 
Diana Curtin
Executive Director
Community Matters
Diana Curtin is the Executive Director of Community Matters, a successful nonprofit organization that has been dedicated to empowering and equipping students and adults to create schools that are safe, welcoming and inclusive for 20 years. Community Matters is recognized as an innovative and thought-leading organization committed to improving the social-emotional climate of our nation's schools and communities. Diana has expertise in organizational management, youth and program development, marketing and community relations. Under Diana’s 8 year tenure as the Executive Director of a large teen center, the organization became known for its strong collaboration with schools, it’s innovative and restorative programs and its impact on youth empowerment.
 
Kim DeMoss
Founder
Project Mindful Movement
Kim DeMoss, is the founder and creator of Project Mindful Movement, a program specifically designed for educators to simplify teaching mindfulness-based practices to students in a classroom environment. She is a health and fitness professional and certified yoga instructor that has a passion for bringing yoga and mindfulness practices into the classroom. Kim has a 200 hour RYT certification as well as over 100 hours of specialized trauma informed yoga training for adults and children. She has published several articles about yoga and teaches yoga classes for all ages in her community. She loves watching young children learn to express themselves through movement and mindfulness practices.
 
Maria DiGiorgio McColgan
Associate Professor
Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Maria McColgan is a Child Abuse Pediatrician at The CARES Institute, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Rowan SOM, and the CARES Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship Director at Cooper University Health. Dr. McColgan is board certified in Pediatrics and Child Abuse Pediatrics. Dr. McColgan received a Master’s in Elementary Education and her Medical Degree from Temple University. Dr. McColgan completed her pediatric residency at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, and was the founding Medical Director of the Child Protection Program, a position she held for over 13 years. Dr. McColgan is the founding Advisory Board Chair and Pediatric Advisor of Prevent Child Abuse Pennsylvania. In 2018, she was appointed to the School District of Philadelphia Board of Education and has served on the Pennsylvania Children’s Trust Fund Board and the Philadelphia Academy Charter School Board.
 
Rodger Dinwiddie
CEO
STARS Nashville
Rodger Dinwiddie has been the CEO of Students Taking a Right Stand (STARS-Nashville), an evidenced-based Student Assistance Program as recognized by the National Registry of Evidenced-based Programs and Practices, since 1986. Prior to joining STARS, Rodger served as the Executive Director of a nonprofit organization working with juvenile court referrals. He also was a classroom teacher in the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools for 7 years. Rodger is also a Certified Prevention Specialist - Level II. He is a certified trainer and Olweus Technical Assistance Consultant for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and Safe Dates Program, and he serves as the Tennessee State Olweus Coordinator in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education,
 
Ashley Doane
Associate Professor
Chowan University
Dr. Ashley Doane earned her Ph.D. in Applied Experimental Psychology from Old Dominion University in 2011. She is currently an Associate Professor of Psychology at Chowan University. Her primary research interests include predictors of cyberbullying victimization and perpetration, the role of cyberbullying bystanders, and cyberbullying prevention. She created and advises an undergraduate student organization, the Cyberbullying Research and Awareness Group, which develops and evaluates cyberbullying prevention programs and gives presentations on cyberbullying.
 
Mary Dolan
Bullying Prevention Consultant
Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office for Safe Schools
Mary currently serves as the Bullying Prevention Consultant for the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s (PDE) Office for Safe Schools. She comes to this position with experience as a former state-level Safe Schools Coordinator and public school counselor with training in all facets of school safety, peer mediation, conflict resolution, positive discipline, the school climate improvement process and as a certified Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) Trainer.  Mary developed and coordinates the PA Bullying Prevention Partnership; a statewide collaborative communicating school climate related information and resources to schools, families and communities. She assisted with the creation and implementation of the PA Bullying Prevention Consultation Line and oversees the day to day operations of this needed and helpful resource.
 
Dr. Elizabeth Englander
Professor & Director
Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center, Bridgewater State University
Elizabeth Kandel Englander is a professor of Psychology and the founder and Director of the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center at Bridgewater State University, a Center which delivers programs, resources, and research for the state of Massachusetts and nationwide. She is a nationally recognized researcher and expert in the area of bullying and cyberbullying, childhood causes of aggression and abuse, and children’s use of technology. She was named Most Valuable Educator of 2013 by the Boston Red Sox because of her work in technological aggression and how it interacts with peer abusiveness in general. Dr. Englander was a Nominee for the 2015 National Crime Victims’ Service Award and is the Chair of the Cyberbullying Workgroup for the Institute of Child Development and Digital Media, collaborating with the National Academy of Sciences. 
 
Elan Gepner-Dales
Executive Director
YES! For Schools
Executive Director, YES! for Schools USA. Elan has spent the last 15 years organizing and delivering empowerment programs for youth, including leadership academies, poetry and theater festivals, youth film productions, and personal development coaching and instruction. In his current role he serves as the U.S. Director of the YES! for Schools program, where he has spent the last 5 years overseeing the creation of sustainable and scalable programming to support long term school climate shift in programs across the country.
 
Dara Ghahremani
Associate Research Faculty
UCLA
Dr. Ghahremani is a associate research faculty in the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and received his Ph.D. in Psychology from Stanford University. His research aims to understand self-control behavior, including emotion regulation, its neural basis, and how it may be strengthened using behavioral and body-based interventions. His recent studies on non-pharmacological approaches have focused on the YES! for Schools program, a body-based socio-emotional learning workshop for adolescents that promotes self-regulation.
 
Jacob Gordon, PhD
Professor Emeritus
University of Kansas
Dr. Gordon is Professor Emeritus of the University of Kansas where he served for 34 years. He established the Department of African and African-American Studies, the Center for African Studies, and the Center for Multicultural Leadership. He is a founding member and ex-officio of the Executive Board of the African Studies Association of Africa (ASAA). He has served as a Fulbright Specialist to Ghana in 2012. He was appointed as the Kwame Nkrumah Endowed Chair in African Studies at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, 2012-2015. He received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University, M.A. from Howard University, B.A. (honors) from Bethune-Cookman University; and L.L.D. (Honorary) from Union Theological Seminary. Dr. Gordon is an approved International Evaluator for the U.S. State Department Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). He is the author or co-author of more than 22 books including African Traditional Leadership: Past, Present and the Future (2014), 
 
Nicolette Granata
Communications Coordinator
International Bullying Prevention Association
Nicolette Granata is a Vanderbilt University student double-majoring in Child Development and Psychology, with a minor in Special Education. During her time at Vanderbilt, she has been a member of Dr. Jonathan Lane’s Social Cognition Lab: researching how young children conceptualize a multitude of different entities. She believes that the perspective behind her senior honors thesis, “Children’s Concepts of Disability and Norm Violation,” fills a critical gap in current approaches to bullying-prevention. She lights up when sharing her dream of discovering how to more effectively teach empathy to and encourage inclusion among young children through her future research.
 
Kelsey Greenberg Young
Assistant Education Director
Anti-Defamation League
Kelsey Greenberg Young is Assistant Education Director for ADL San Diego. Kelsey coordinates ADL’s partnerships with schools in the San Diego region, assisting schools in the creation and implementation of No Place for Hate™ programs to enhance and sustain inclusive school campus climates. She also facilitates ADL’s A World of Difference® Institute education programming. She leads teams of students, educators, and community members in customizable, interactive trainings to combat prejudice and develop skills to effectively respond to issues faced by schools. Kelsey comes to ADL with her BA in Communication from University of California, Santa Barbara. She has extensive experience in the start-up tech world and brings knowledge of the social media landscape to her work in the community. She loves hiking, yoga, and rock climbing.
 
Suzanne Greenfield
Director of the Citywide Bullying Prevention Program
DC Office of Human Rights
Suzanne Greenfield is the Director of the Citywide Bullying Prevention program in the DC Office of Human Rights. Prior to joining OHR she worked on education policy issues for youth with special needs. Before that she was at DC Public Schools where she teamed with schools and school leaders to address behavior concerns and create holistic approaches to changing school climates.
 
Ron Hertel
Program Supervisor
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Ron Hertel is the Program Supervisor at the State Education Agency in Washington State. He began his teaching career in an inpatient psychiatric facility for adolescents in Minnesota from 1975 – 1979. From 1979 – 1989, he was a social worker for Boulder County Department of Social Services in Colorado. After moving to Washington in 1989, he supervised a county child welfare services office, administered the Children’s Administration state-wide group care program, and administrator of statewide children’s mental health for the Mental Health Division/Department of Social and Health Services. In 2000, he returned to the field of education at OSPI and beginning in 2008, led the development of the Compassionate School Initiative in Washington State. He is currently staffing the development of a Social and Emotional framework for Washington State educators. He a nationally recognized trainer for Compassionate/Trauma Responsive Schools and has co-authored three books: “The Heart of Learning and Teaching; Compassion, Resiliency, Academic Success” and “Supporting and Educating Traumatized Students: A Guide for School-Based Professionals” (Oxford University Press, 2012), and “Optimizing Learning Outcomes: Proven Brain-Centric, Trauma-Sensitive Practices” (Routledge – Taylor and Francis books, March 2017).
 
Sameer Hinduja, PhD
Co-Director and Professor
Cyberbullying Research Center, Florida Atlantic University
Dr. Hinduja is a Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University (focus area: computer crime) and his B.S. in Criminal Justice (minor in legal studies) from the University of Central Florida Honors College.
 
Alex Holmes
Deputy CEO
The Diana Award
Alex is Deputy CEO at The Diana Award. He is also the founder of peer support programme 'Anti-Bullying Ambassadors' whose job it is to stand up to bullying online and offline in their schools and communities. His own experience of bullying when younger has helped him to shape the programme at non-profit The Diana Award where he has been a driving force behind empowering over 28,000 young Ambassadors in over 3,000 schools across UK/Ireland and internationally introducing programmes to tackle bullying online and offline. 2017 saw Alex receive a Queen’s Young Leader Award from Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace for his work and most recently he received the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award in Kentucky, Louisville.
 
Matthew Hudson-Flege
Research Assistant Professor
Clemson University
Matthew Hudson-Flege, PhD, is a Research Assistant Professor in Clemson University's Institute on Family & Neighborhood Life. Matt earned his PhD in International Family and Community Studies from Clemson University. Prior to beginning his academic career, Matt served in AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, and worked in the nonprofit sector for several years. His research and teaching interests include bullying prevention, human rights, and humanitarian assistance.
 
Eric Johnson
Vice President of Youth Development
STARS Nasvhille
Eric Johnson is currently the Vice President of Youth Development at STARS Nashville. In addition to his work as a trainer and speaker, Mr. Johnson’s experience at STARS includes both direct student assistance work in schools and program management. His training work has taken him across the country, speaking to educators, mental health professionals, administrators, communities, and young people. Mr. Johnson is heavily involved in developing materials and workshops to encourage youth leadership, bullying prevention initiatives, and school culture and climate enhancement.
 
Sarah Johnson
Administrative Assistant
Kansai-Arizona Cyberbullying Project
Sarah Johnson is a master’s student in school counseling at the University of Arizona. She is an administrative assistant with the Kansai-Arizona Cyberbullying Project, and the facilitator of the Changemaker High School Be Kind Online student group.
 
Karla Joyce-Good
Coordinator, Community Outreach Initiatives
Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Karla Joyce-Good, L.S.W., is the Director of Community Outreach Initiatives for the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. She oversees the development of professional enrichment opportunities for educators, school administrators, mental health professionals, as well as a variety of community education events locally and throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Karla is also a contracted Bullying Prevention Consultant for the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Her role with the PDE involves staffing the PA Bullying Prevention Consultation Line. Additionally, she has presented at National and International Conferences regarding issues relating to bullying prevention and school climate. 
 
Alex Kajitani
Author and Speaker
Chicken Soup for the Soul
Alex Kajitani is the 2009 California Teacher of the Year, and Top-4 Finalist for National Teacher of the Year. A highly sought-after keynote speaker, he has authored several books, including Chicken Soup for the Soul’s Inspiration for Teachers. Known worldwide as “The Rappin’ Mathematician,” he created MultiplicationNation.com, has a popular TED Talk, was honored at The White House, and featured on The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. For more inspiration, check out www.AlexKajitani.com.
 
Gabriella Kulcsár
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Law, University of Pécs, Hungary
Dr. Kulcsár is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Pécs, Hungary. She wrote her doctoral thesis about the etiology and prevention of school shootings. Her current research focuses on how youth disturbances are linked to each other. In particular, Dr. Kulcsár is interested in explaining the connection of bullying, substance abuse, self-harm, suicide and homicide-suicide within the framework of Caplan’s crisis theory and Erikson’s psychosocial development theory.
 
Sally Kuykendall
Professor
Saint Joseph's University
Sally Kuykendall, RN, PhD (CHES) is a professor in health services and an independent evaluator of school and community health programs. Kuykendall authored numerous articles and reports on bullying and violence prevention. She wrote the reference book Bullying: Health and Medical Issues Today and served as content consultant on the public television movie Beyond the Bully (2014) by KSMQ in Rochester, MN.
 
Michael Kyobe
Professor
University of Cape Town
Michael Kyobe is a Professor of Information Systems at the University of Cape Town. He is the Deputy Dean for Research and Internationalization in the Commerce Faculty. He is the principal investigator for a grant project on mobile bullying in schools in South Africa, funded by the South African National Research Foundation. He is also the coordinator of an initiative that will promote cooperation among African researchers engaged in bullying prevention and intervention in Africa.
 
Monica Lewinsky
Social Activist, Public Speaker and Contributing Editor
Vanity Fair
Monica Lewinsky is a social activist, international public speaker and Contributing Editor for Vanity Fair. She is an ambassador to the Diana Award's Anti-Bullying Program and a founding board member of the Childhood Resilience Foundation.
 
Susan Limber, PhD
Professor
Clemson University
Susan Limber, PhD., MLS, is a professor in the Department of Youth, Family & Community Studies at Clemson University. She is a developmental psychologist who also holds a Masters of Legal Studies. Dr. Limber’s research and writing have focused on psychological and legal issues related to bullying among children, as well as youth participation and children’s rights.
 
Kathleen Lockard
Olweus techinical assistant consultant
private practice
Kathleen Lockard, Olweus technical assistant consultant, is from Afton, Iowa and offers a wealth of knowledge and experience with implementing bullying prevention programs. She was an elementary classroom teacher for over 20 years. She also worked in Green Hills Area Education Agency as their Learning Supports Consultant and Professional Development Coordinator before retiring. Kathy has extensive experience with bullying prevention as well as Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports.
 
Magnus Loftsson
Certified Psychologist, Head of Research and Development
Friends
Magnus Loftsson, Certified Psychologist, Head of Research and Development, Friends. Gender Equality and Violence Prevention Expert. PhD Student in Child and Youth Studies, research on Children’s Exposure for Bullying, from Parents’ Perspectives.
 
Sonja Lyubomirsky
Professor & Vice Chair of Psychology
University of California Riverside
Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., is Professor and Vice Chair of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and author of The How of Happiness and The Myths of Happiness, translated 28 countries, respectively. She received her B.A. summa cum laude from Harvard University and her Ph.D. in social psychology from Stanford University. Lyubomirsky’s teaching and mentoring of students have been recognized with the Faculty of the Year (twice) and Faculty Mentor of the Year Awards. Her research – on the possibility of lastingly increasing happiness — have been the recipients of many honors, including the Templeton Positive Psychology Prize, a Psychology & Philosophy grant, a Science of Generosity grant, and several John Templeton Foundation grants. Lyubomirsky lives in Santa Monica, California, with her husband and four kids, ages 5 to 19.
 
Jody Manning
Director, PACER's Parent Training and Information Center
PACER Center
Jody Manning currently serves as the Director of PACER’s Parent Training and Information Center. In 1987, she gave birth to a son who was diagnosed with disabilities. Jody has a background in nursing and psychology- an ideal combination to assist children with disabilities and those experiencing bullying as they navigate through school and community life. Jody is a highly respected speaker nationally on topics that include bullying prevention, students with disabilities, and special education.
 
Julie McDaniel-Muldoon, PhD
Student Safety and Well-Being Consultant
Oakland Schools
Julie McDaniel-Muldoon is a Student Safety and Well-Being Consultant at Oakland Schools in Waterford, Michigan. She is a certified trainer for Bully-Free Schools. Julie is also an Advanced Certified Trauma Practitioner and Trainer for the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. Recently, she became a certified trainer for the International Institute for Restorative Practices. She is a former ELA high school teacher and continues to work with students of all ages. In addition to an MA in curriculum and teacher education and an MA and EdSpec in educational leadership, Julie holds a PhD in Education from the University of Michigan. She is passionate about creating, strengthening and maintaining safe and supportive places for students and their educators to thrive.
 
Julie McGarry
Project Manager, High School Initiatives
Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
ulie McGarry, M.A., serves as Program Manager, High School Initiatives at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. In this capacity, she works on RULER for High Schools and manages inspirED, collaborating with Facebook to elevate high school student voice and empower students to take an active role in improving the social and emotional climate of their schools. Before coming to the Center, she was a high school English teacher in Philadelphia and active in her school’s student services programming. Julie has also worked in varying capacities in K-12 education in several Connecticut school districts. She earned her B.S. in English Education and her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Connecticut Neag School of Education. Outside of her time at the Center, Julie enjoys hiking, reading, and cooking.
 
Casey McQuillen
Singer/Songwriter
The You Matter Tour
Casey McQuillen is a singer/songwriter, a native of Boston, currently living in New York. She graduated summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music in 2016 with a double major in Songwriting and Music Business. Recognized by the UN Foundation's "Girl UP" for her accomplishments as founder of her school anti-bullying concert series -- The You Matter Tour, she has performed live to over 30,000 students across the US. The concert's signature song "Beautiful" won 1st Place in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest 2016, Pop Category. Casey gained international notoriety when she appeared on TV as a power house vocalist on Season 13 of American Idol. Casey was also featured in The Improper Bostonian magazine's article highlighting 25 "go-getters who are wise--and talented--way beyond their years" and in The Andovers magazine, "HOMETOWN IDOL, Inspiring Songs for Young Hearts".
 
Jenny Mischel
Conceptual Framework of Bullying Victimization and Resiliency
George Mason University
Jenny Mischel is a doctoral candidate within the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. Her primary specialization is Educational Psychology with a secondary emphasis in Teaching and Teacher Education. She specifically focuses on victimization from bullying/cyberbullying experiences in relation to preventing, and overcoming, detrimental outcomes. She has developed an instrument to better define adolescent perspectives with cyberbullying situations. She is also interested in potential coping strategies to overcome bullying/cyberbullying experiences.
 
Dr. Eddie Moore Jr.
Speaker and Educator
America & MOORE, LLC
Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. has pursued and achieved success in academia, business, diversity, leadership and community service. In 1996, he started America & MOORE, LLC to provide comprehensive diversity, privilege and leadership trainings and workshops. Dr. Moore is recognized as one of the nation’s top motivational speakers and educators, especially for his work with students K-16.  Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., currently serves as Director of The Privilege Institute (TPI) and The National White Privilege Conference (WPC), both founded under his direction to provide opportunities and possibilities for research, publications, speaking and collaborations by those committed to true social and institutional change. He received his Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies at the University of Iowa and under his direction and inclusive relationship model the White Privilege Conference has become one of the top national and international conferences for participants who want to move beyond dialogue and into action around issues of diversity, power, privilege, and leadership..
 
Sadia Musharraf
Researcher
College of Education, University of Arizona
Sadia Musharraf is a visiting scholar at the College of Education, University of Arizona, USA. She is lecturer in psychology at the Women University Multan, Pakistan and doctoral student at the National Institute of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. She has six years teaching experience at the university level. Her research is focused on cyberbullying and victimization in higher education.
 
Randy Nathan
President
Project NextGen
Coach Randy is the President/CEO of Project NextGen and known nationally as an edu-tainer. His high energy and dynamic approach engages participants by introducing valuable strategies to overcome obstacles and inspires them to achieve their goals. He is a renown worldwide Sports Bullying Expert and the author of “Bullying in Sports: A Guide to Identifying The Injuries We Don’t See,” published by Pearson Education. Coach Randy earned his BA from the University of Colorado (Sociology/Education), an MSW from the University of Southern California and a MA in Non-Profit Executive Management from Hebrew Union College. He is the NJ State Representative for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and National Trainer for the Positive coaching Alliance. In addition, he’s an adjunct professor of Sociology and on faculty of the Rutgers University School of Social Work. 
 
Charisse Nixon, PhD
Professor of Psychology
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Charisse Nixon received her Ph.D. from West Virginia University and is currently a full professor of Psychology at Penn State Behrend. Her primary research interest focuses on increasing students’ pro-social behaviors and decreasing negative behaviors including various forms of peer mistreatment (e.g., relational and physical mistreatment). Nixon is currently studying effective prevention and intervention efforts (including mentoring) to reduce at-risk behaviors. Building students’ resiliency is a core tenet of her work.
 
James O’Higgins Norman
Director
National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre
Prof. James O’Higgins Norman holds the prestigious UNESCO Chair on Tackling Bullying in Schools and Cyberspace and is the Director of the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre (ABC) and Associate Professor in Sociology, DCU. His most prominent research work is on homophobic bullying in second-level schools in Ireland with other research interests including gender and cyberbullying, diversity and bullying in schools, the compatibilities and tensions between education and religion in secular societies. James has previously written on school ethos from the standpoint of patronage and management, proposed a rethinking of the role of the churches in schools, served on the NCCA sub-committee on intercultural education as well as a number of school boards of management, taught professional ethics at University College Dublin and was a teacher in a post-primary school.
 
Matt Pearsall
Senior Educational Designer
Committee for Children
Matt Pearsall is a senior educational designer for the nonprofit Committee for Children, creators of the evidence-based Second Step social emotional learning, bullying prevention, and abuse prevention programs. Previously, he taught language arts and social studies at a very diverse, low SES high school outside Seattle, WA., and before that, he performed interactive sword-fighting/medieval history shows in middle schools throughout the Chicago area. He graduated from Seattle University with an MAT in Secondary Education.
 
Rick Phillips
Founder and Consultant
Community Matters
Rick Phillips is the Founder of Community Matters, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization whose mission is to wake up the Courage of Students and adults to create schools and communities that are welcoming, safe and inclusive. Rick is the developer of Community Matters' evidence-based Safe School Ambassadors® (SSA), a youth-centered, bullying-intervention and prevention program that has been successfully implemented in more than 1,600 schools across North America, Puerto Rico and Guam. The SSA program focuses on waking up the courage of diverse student bystanders and equipping them with skills to intervene when they hear, see or know of bullying, cyber-bullying or harassment. Phillips and Community Matters have also developed The Whole School Climate Framework, a comprehensive, clear and integrated model that provides educational leaders with a blueprint and the tools for effectively planning, implementing and measuring the many mandates, requirements and initiatives related to school climate improvement.
 
Michael Rabin
Project Resource Teacher
Youth and Family Advocacy, San Diego Unified School District
After 21 years as a classroom teacher, Mick transitioned to a new position as a Project Resource Teacher for LGBTQIA Advocacy in San Diego Unified School District. He is interested in the confluence of social justice and student empowerment at all levels. His experience working at a Title-1 school with extremely limited resources and under policies of limited scope forced him to get creative. So, in between the other daily tasks that teachers perform, he has spent his career developing ways to integrate and infuse advocacy, affirmation, and respect for underrepresented populations into existing curriculum formats. 
 
Victoria Rideout
President
VJR Consulting/Cartoon Network
VICTORIA RIDEOUT is a nationally recognized independent researcher. She has directed numerous large-scale, nationally-representative surveys among children, teens, parents, and educators. She has conducted research for the Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, Common Sense Media, Northwestern’s Center on Media and Human Development, and Arizona State’s Center on Gender Equity in Science and Technology. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as Pediatrics and American Behavioral Scientist.
 
Jane Riese
Associate Director, Safe & Humane Schools
Clemson University
Jane Riese, L.S.W., is the Associate Director of Safe and Humane Schools and one of the developers of certification training for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) at Clemson University. She is co-author of OBPP print and online program materials and has provided training in the U.S. and abroad. Jane has worked in the fields of victim services and restorative practices and is a certified facilitator of Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga.
 
Lindy Ryan
Rutgers Discovery Informatics Institute
An active member of the New Jersey Big Data Alliance, Lindy Ryan is an award-winning professor of visual data analytics at Montclair State University and Rutgers University. She is an active researcher at the Rutgers Discovery Informatics Institute and was previously associate faculty at the School of Applied Leadership at CityU. Prior to joining academia, Ryan led research and analyst activities in data discovery and visual analytics for Radiant Advisors, an advisory firm in the data science industry. She is the author of "The Visual Imperative: Creating a Culture of Visual Discovery" and "Visual Data Storytelling with Tableau."
 
Nicole Sanders-Abbott
Safety Policy Programs Associate Manager
Facebook
Nicole Sanders-Abbott is Safety Policy Programs Associate Manager at Facebook based in the Washington DC office where she builds programs in partnership with external experts, academics and NGOs to support Facebook's safety efforts. Prior to joining Facebook, Nicole worked as a Program Management professional for local and state governments, political organizations, and the telecommunications industry.
 
Janina Scarlet
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Superhero Therapy
Dr. Janina Scarlet is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, a scientist, and a full-time geek. A Ukrainian-born refugee, she survived Chernobyl radiation and persecution. She immigrated to the United States at the age of 12 with her family and later, inspired by the X-Men, developed Superhero Therapy to help patients with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She currently works at the Center for Stress and Anxiety Management in San Diego.
 
Emily Schafer
MA, Graduate Research Assistant
Clemson University
Emily Schafer is founder and former Executive Director of 3Degrees Mentoring, an evidence-based SC nonprofit that trains committed adults to show up and speak in to the lives of children in poverty. Previously, Emily and her husband Brandon, who have been married 15 years and have 2 biological children, pioneered a program with the city of Virginia Beach for teenage girls in foster care with exceptionally high needs. Emily was transformed by the experience of mothering ten traumatized daughters. She speaks a little Russian from her time as a therapist and teacher in Ukraine, holds an MA in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College, and loves celebrating every person's journey toward wholeness. She enjoys reading, running, snuggling babies and traveling (25 countries and counting!). She hates racism and injustice. Emily is currently a PhD candidate in International Family and Community Studies at Clemson University where she studies bullying, childhood trauma, and resilience.
 
Sue Scheff
Author, Parent and Family Cyber-Safety Advocate
Sue Scheff is a Nationally Recognized Author, Parent Advocate and Internet Safety Advocate. She founded Parents Universal Resources Experts, Inc. in 2001. She has 3 published books, Wit's End (HCI 2007), Google Bomb (HCI 2009) and her latest, Shame Nation: Choosing Kindness and Compassion In An Age of Cruelty and Trolling (Sourcebooks 2017) with a foreword by Monica Lewinsky. Sue Scheff is a contributor for the Psychology Today, HuffPost, Dr. Greene, Stop Medicine Abuse, EducationNation and others. She has been featured on CBS This Morning, ABC 20/20, CNN, Fox News, Anderson Cooper, Nightly News with Katie Couric, Rachael Ray Show, Dr. Phil, and more. Scheff has also been in USA Today, LA Times, NYT's, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, AARP, just to name a few.
 
Matt Soeth
Co-Founder
#iCANHELP
An educator for 15 years, Matt Soeth is co-founder of #iCANHELP, a national nonprofit organization that teaches students, educators and parents about responsible online behavior and how to delete online negativity. He speaks widely on digital leadership and conducts training for both students and educators. Before taking up his role as co-creator and manager of iCanHelpline’s 2015-’16 pilot, Matt was a high school tech coordinator and student leadership teacher in northern California and served as the Technology Coordinator for the California Association of Directors of Activities (CADA), developing technology curriculum for activity directors in California and across the United States. For his #iCANHELP public service work, Matt has been recognized by the Washington, D.C.-based Family Online Safety Institute for creating a safer internet for high school and middle school students. He has also been recognized with the Western Region Earl Reum Award for outstanding professional development for leadership teachers as well as Teacher of the Year in central California for Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) a professional educators association. Matt holds B.A. and M.A. degrees and lives with his family in Lodi, California.
 
Students from Spirit of Youth
Spirit of Youth
In 2017, Story Works Alaska’s Youth Team and Anchorage Youth Vote teamed up with Spirit of Youth, an organization dedicated to creating, promoting, and recognizing youth involvement in Alaska. Together, these groups oversee the Spirit of Youth Bullying Prevention Awareness Campaign Grant. This program gives student leaders the autonomy to empower other youth, and select youth-led bullying prevention projects for grant funds.
 
Students from Story Works Alaska’s Youth Team
Story Works Alaska
Story Works Alaska believes in the importance of listening and telling, and the power of stories to build connections and foster resilience. Story Works Alaska’s Youth Team (SAYiT), works to promote youth voice and support youth storytellers. Launched in January 2015, SAYiT has created student driven content for the Story Works curriculum, hosted sold-out youth storytelling shows, led workshops for elementary students, and produced podcasts featuring stories about bullying and bullying prevention.
 
Danielle Tuft
Sexual Violence Prevention Program Manager
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Danielle Tuft is the Sexual Violence Prevention Program Manager at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. As a public health professional, she has worked on a variety of projects in partnership with both government and nonprofit sectors. In her current role she oversees Colorado’s Sexual Violence Prevention Community Grant Program and works to support the implementation of primary prevention strategies across the social ecological model throughout the state.
 
Christian Villenas
Director of Research
National School Climate Center
Christian Villenas, Ph.D., is the Director of Research at NSCC. Before joining NSCC Christian was a Senior Research Associate at GLSEN where he designed and managed research and evaluation projects related to LGBTQ issues in education. He also collaborated with GLSEN staff and key organizational allies to promote GLSEN’s efforts to achieve policy and programmatic improvements on LGBTQ issues in K-12 schools. Prior to GLSEN, Christian served as a senior policy analyst at Advocates for Children of New York (AFC) where he provided research and analysis of existing and emerging policy initiatives on the federal, state, and local levels related to education rights and education inequality. Christian earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from Johns Hopkins University.
 
Małgorzata Wójcik
Assistant Professor
University of Social Sciences and Humanities
Malgorzata Wójcik is an assistant professor at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities SWPS in Poland. Before entering the field of research and science she had been working as a middle school teacher, tutor and educator. Therefore her research interests are connected with youth, school context and peer group dynamics. She has been especially interested in bullying, victimization and bullying prevention programs. She has implemented research based antibullying program for students during transition to middle schools. She has also conducted a participatory action research with high school students on interpersonal relations, intragroup dynamics and bullying. She researches ways of battling moral disengagement strategies used by bystanders to distance themselves from bullying situation.
 
Joe Yeager
Advisory Board Member
Fifty Shades of Purple Against Bullying
I am the founder of Safety Net of PA, LLC and the cyberbullying advisor to Fifty Shades of Purple Against Bullying, whose mission is to support families and individuals (both children and adults) who have been victimized by bullying or abuse by working alongside community based organizations with Anti-Bullying initiatives or campaigns.
 
Cari Zawodny
Spirit of Youth, Anchorage Youth Vote, and Story Works Alaska
Cari Zawodny Cari Zawodny is the adult facilitator and project coordinator for Anchorage Youth Vote and SAYiT. Cari began working with Anchorage Youth Vote and Spirit of Youth in 2012, and added Story Works Alaska's SAYiT to her portfolio of outstanding youth groups in 2017. In addition to her work in youth-service, Cari is a parent, an aunt, and an active ally for youth voice, inclusion, and accessibility.
 
Susan Zelinski
Research Associate
National School Climate Center
Susan is a Research Associate at the National School Climate Center. She earned a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Teacher’s College, Columbia University. During her initial exposure to research at the behavioral neuroscience lab at Rutgers-Newark, Susan developed a passion for integrating her interests in medicine, neuroscience, and psychology. Susan has also worked in program development with children and adults with developmental disabilities, utilizing emerging research in mind-body health to create initiatives that enhance well-being.