OUR TEAM
TOM THELEN
Founder of No Bullying Schools
Tom Thelen is one of America’s top Anti-Bullying Speakers and the founder of ResetSchools.org, a nonprofit that teaches mental health skills in schools. As a mental health speaker, Tom has spoken at over 800 schools and has been interviewed on NBC, CBS, FOX, and PBS. He is also the founder of NoBullyingSchools.com, an evidence-based bullying curriculum with a smartphone app and video lessons on bullying, social skills, and resiliency. Tom graduated from Grace Christian University with a bachelor’s of science degree and went on to write three books for students including Mental Health 101, Victimproof, and Teen Leadership Revolution. He and his wife, Casie, have four school-aged children and live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Learn more at https://tomthelen.com.
DR. KIMBERLEY HOOGE
Director of Research
Dr. Kimberley Hooge received her PhD in Psychology focusing in Cognitive Neuroscience from Rice University in 2015. She is a founding member of ResetSchools.org a nonprofit that partners with schools to promote evidence-based practices for mental health and resiliency. Along with her research and consulting work, she is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer at the University of Texas at Dallas and an Associate Faculty member at Collin College. Her research interests include visual processing and perception, Gestalt principles as applied to vision, and illusions. Learn more at KimDoesResearch.com.
DR. ELLIOT KAGAN
Program Consultant
Dr. Elliot Kagan is a graduate of Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University. As a School Psychologist and New York State Licensed Psychologist, Dr. Kagan specializes in clinical treatment and school based services. Before his recent retirement, he served as the Olweus Bullying Program Co-Coordinator for Suffern Middle School in Suffern, New York, where he worked as a school psychologist. Dr. Kagan works closely with Tom Thelen to develop a bullying policy that made a clear distinction between bullying, negative behavior, and peer conflict. He also leads the effort to provide examples of evidence-based interventions for preventing bullying and promoting a positive school culture. Dr. Kagan is passionate about finding solutions that support kids, families, educators, and ultimately, entire school systems.
DR. MILDRED PEYTON
Program Consultant
Dr. Mildred Peyton earned her Ph.D. from Walden University with a dissertation on “Exploring the Meaning of School Bullying Among Parents of Victimized Children.” She also holds a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Bowie State University. As a mother of two, Dr. Peyton cares about the roles parents and families play in helping to reduce bullying in schools. This led to the publishing of two children’s books on bullying. Look for “A Bully on the School Bus” and “Sophia Writes to Her Bully” on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble. Dr. Peyton is passionate about developing bullying solutions that make a positive impact in schools and in homes.
PAUL VESPO
Research Consultant
Paul Vespo is a School Psychologist at Lincoln Hall Boys’ Haven in New York. Paul graduated from the school psychology graduate program at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. Prior to this, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from SUNY Purchase. When Paul was a middle and high school student, he experienced verbal aggression and bullying, but thankfully he got help from his school counselors and from the school psychologist. This positive experience changed his life and propelled him toward the field of psychology. Paul works with the team at No Bullying Schools to implement evidence-based interventions for preventing bullying and for developing a positive school climate.
CAMERON VERSLUIS
Program & Technical Developer
Cameron Versluis is the owner of the Grand Rapids-based web design company, Emberly Digital. Cameron specializes in user experience design. He is also an avid mental health advocate and writer. As the Program and Technical Developer for No Bullying Schools, Cameron provides empathy-oriented, user-centric design. His goal is to provide a premium experience for all students and teachers using the program. In addition to user experience design, Cameron focuses on meeting school's programming needs. He strives to connect schools with curriculum and technical resources that serve students and parents. With a personal story of overcoming mental health challenges, Cameron is passionate about helping students become resilient and healthy.
MANISH MITTAL
Web Developer
Manish Mittal is a Web Developer for No Bullying Schools and the CEO and of OpenSource Technologies Inc., headquartered in Pennsylvania. He holds a Bachelor of Technology from the University of Hertfordshire, London. Manish and his team are responsible for developing the backend software and data analytics of NoBullyingSchools.com. His software development plays a critical role, allowing schools to monitor bullying incidents and track school culture in real time.
