MEET THE TEAM 

Hello world, we're Young Happy Minds and we're on a mission to spread the science of happiness to young people across the world. 

Adrian Bethune (UK)

Adrian is a committed and dedicated primary school teacher. His teaching practice has been strongly focused on the best ways of developing children’s levels of happiness and wellbeing, whilst ensuring they achieve their best academically. It is his strong conviction that childrens education should be set up to allow them to become responsible, happy and well-rounded people. Here you can read how his students experienced his wellbeing-teachings, together on stage with the Dalai Lama at an «Action for Happiness» event. 

Mary Dewick (UK)

Mary has several years experience in the field of education. She is providing consultation services and teacher training to various schools wanting to implement a successful computing programme of study. She has developed training to teachers including; creative ways of enhancing learning and teaching through technology such as for example: Coding, Computer Game Design, Scratch and Lego Mindstorms. Mary wants to make a difference, and for her the mission of Young happy Minds, to provide the roots and wings for young people to thrive and flourish, is it!

Emma Rowlands (UK)

Emma is a Young Happy Minds facilitator who is passionate about sharing the benefits of positive psychology with others. She is a trained coach within the Co-Active programme and is keen to use her own strengths of humility, kindness and compassion to help others to live well-rounded lives. Emma is a marketing professional and has been part of building successful, positive company cultures and witnessed the benefits that comes with that (both for businesses and employees). She is however particularly passionate about encouraging young people to pursue their passions and helping them to build strength and resilience. Emmas vision is to share the power of positive psychology with the world and enjoys yoga, running and travelling in her spare time. 

Nikki Levitan (UK)

Nikki is a trained coach, group facilitator and a community builder. A former youth worker and social justice activist. She has a passion for working with young people, teaching emotional wellbeing, leadership and positive psychology. She works with people to identify and understand their driving values and their strengths. Then build on their purpose and action this into their schools, lives, communities and places of work more. Nikki is the founder of Community of Opportunity, a project committed to building a community of changemakers through creating platforms for transformation, wellbeing and self-discovery.

Fiona Biggins (UK)

Fiona is an ICF qualified coach with 7 years coaching experience. In her previous life, she worked in recruitment but always knew she could be making more impact in people’s lives and found coaching to be the vehicle to do just that. She coaches career changers, educators and young people and has delivered over 100 personal development, careers and leadership programmes to young people in schools, third sector organisations and universities. She is a Visiting Lecturer on the “Coaching for Business” course at City University. On a pro bono basis, she also supports students from less advantaged backgrounds at LSE and Goldsmiths on the "Openbook" project. She enjoys combining coaching with positive psychology and mindfulness for maximum impact.

Sam Martin (UK)

Sam used Positive Psychology to hack himself to a First class Psychology and Sociology Cambridge degree. His central theme is to aid the development and progression of high potential professionals and young people. He has experience in Talent Management with Atos, Executive Search at Moloney Search, and has recruited top graduate talent for some of the UK's fastest growing startups and SMEs. Sam is the founder of Smart Choice Student Support and teaches students and young professionals how to successfully apply principles from the field of positive psychology into their study approach and the navigation of their career.

Irene Margaretha Rendedal (NOR)

Irene´s education is in Human Resource Management and Child Psychology. She is passionate about educating children and youth to become the best versions of themselves and at the same time making them feel valuable as they are. In order to help out in this field Irene has studied the disciplin of communicology, which is the study of the structure and dynamics of communication and change.  She has throughout the years gathered information on how to make children and youth thrive and flourish and now she wants to put all this knowledge into action. Irene is currently curating this content and setting up a website to inform, inspire and create an arena for collaboration for the wellbeeing of children and youth.

Sophie Conijn (NL)

Sophie studied Child Psychology at the University of Utrecht and Positive Psychology with Tal Ben Shahar at the Wholebeing Institute in the US. She divides her time between interim HR projects for organisations such as McKinsey & Company and helping students and young professionals to discover their talents when choosing a (new) career. Sophie has facilitated workshops at summer camps with children (6-18 years old) to help them improve their self-confidence, assertiveness and social empowerment. Mainly, she hopes to inspire many children to live their lives from a positive perspective!

Karen Elisabeth Ohm Heskja (NOR)

Karen-Elisabeth is driven by passion, and her passions lie in innovation processes, stimulating the startup ecosystem and connecting people to create energy and impact. Currently holding the role as Relations Manager for Startups & Growth companies in DNB, Norway's largest financial services group. Previous positions: Manager in Corporate Innovation, Statoil; Country Manager Mexico and Cuba for a small Norwegian startup company and several project positions for various humanitarian organisations as the UN, the Norwegian Refugee Council etc. in North Korea, Colombia, Venezuela, Israel/Palestine, Guatemala. She is initiator and partner in several innovations and entrepreneurial initiatives in the Stavanger area, as the Stavanger Startup Weekend and TEDxStavanger. She holds an exec MBA in Strategic Management and a Master in International Relations.

Lisa has a Bachelor of Applied Social Science majoring in Positive Psychology and Coaching. She is a passionate advocate of implementing Positive Education programs and initiatives in schools and has been for over ten years. In 2014 she received her Certificate in Positive Education from The University of Melbourne. Lisa cares deeply about the mental health and wellbeing of young people and believes we owe to our children to provide them with emotional “tools” which are directly aimed at helping them develop resilience, optimism and self-confidence. Lisa is currently the Leading coach at High On Life Coaching which helps clients from all walks of life using a “solution-focused” approach which incorporates a positive psychology framework.

Hanne Foss (N)

Hanne has always had a strong interest and passion for positive psychology. After many years working in the world of marketing and business she also has strong business and communication skills that she brings into her work as our operational manager.

As a certified and experienced NLP Master Coach and TFT Trainer, she is also truly passionate about bringing out the best in people, and make them reach and achieve their true potential. Now she is on a mission to spread the science of happiness to young people across the world.

Tone Mari Bjøreng (NOR)

Tone Mari is a child development pedagogue and has over 30 years experience working with children and youth all ages - in kindergarten, schools and colleges. She has established Hellerudtoppen kindergarten, developed and delivered pedagogical teacher training for preschool teachers, an annual children's theatre festival in Oslo, and was a pioneer in bringing meditation to Norway. She established the first Ascension-meditation centre in Oslo and is also a qigong trainer. Her essence is compassion and her strengths are love and perspective. She finds joy in working with what she finds truly meaningful. Therefore, she participated in Young Happy Minds first Training Course and is part of the team that currently establishes the organisation in Norway.

Sarah Judd (AU)

Sarah is an Aussie who has been in London the last 10 years, but now moving back to Australia and will bring Young Happy Minds with her. Sarah is a trained coach who´s background is with Internal communication and engagement incorporates - giving employees a voice and making work something enjoyable. She believes it's about having strong values and clear 'why'. Her dream is to engage educators - reminding and reigniting their passion for why they do what they do + sharing what people are doing around the world in alternative education. 

Tove Mowé (N)

Tove Mowé makes "Prepptalks" with people who want to be able to feel safe, tough and clearer on the scars they are going to perform at their best.  Tove's goal is always to help make people able to believe in selling themselves and their deliveries more than ever.

We are proud to have Tove as one of our highly qualified Young Happy Minds Trainers, fully engaged in building robust and happy youth, and spreading the science of  happiness and positive psychology.