CORE TEAM

As one of Inner Explorer's Co-Founders, Laura discovered the benefits of mindful awareness more than 20 years ago when she was trying to manage the stress of travel and long workdays. While working at GE, Laura had the insight to share her mindful awareness practice with hundreds of fellow employees. Upon seeing the many positive results the daily practice had on performance, creativity, and wellbeing, she realized it would be the perfect fit for education. The practices can help children navigate the ups and downs of life with resilience, alleviating stress and anxiety, and can help them focus, allowing them to be ‘ready to learn’. -- all with compassion, openness, and love. She can hardly wait for the first generation of kids going through this program to reach adulthood! Laura received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Boston College and a Doctoral Degree in Psychology from Sofia University. She was trained as a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) instructor through the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts. When not working, Laura loves to spend time with family and friends, especially with her husband Rick and son Will. She loves being outside, which is much easier now that she moved from Illinois to Florida, going for a bike ride, running with her dogs Scout and Bella, kayaking, or playing tennis.

Lisa brings over 30 years of experience in mindfulness practices and as an MBSR instructor has provided Inner Explorer with input and expertise on program development and research since its inception. Lisa served on Inner Explorer’s Board of Directors and continues to assist Inner Explorer in her current capacity as Chief Strategy Officer. Through her private practice, Lisa has been teaching children, adults and corporate clients the value of mindfulness to enrich lives and promote well-being. Lisa maintains her decades long commitment to sharing the well- documented benefits of mindful awareness. She has an undergraduate degree from University of California-Berkeley and has completed Clinical Training in Behavioral Medicine with Dr. Herbert Benson and Harvard Medical School as well as certification in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction from the Center for Mindfulness at University of Massachusetts. While Lisa loves to travel, write and photograph, her greatest joy comes from her family. She credits her sons, Travis and Shane, who from birth, were her most authentic teachers of living in the present moment. And Marty, the family’s rescue dog, playfully and lovingly reminds each family member to live mindfully. Lisa understands that when she embodies the practices she teaches, she is a kinder, happier and more peaceful person eager to support Inner Explorer’s vision of changing the world, one student at a time.

Laurie spent 32 years seeking social justice for low-income communities when she wondered if teaching mindfulness to kids would be a good idea. As Community Outreach Coordinator of Park Day School, she could not believe her ears when on the first day of piloting a program to bring mindfulness into public schools, a third grader said, “I think if we do this every day we aren’t going to fight anymore.” At that moment, Laurie knew how she would be spending the rest of her career. Within two months, Laurie and her colleagues, started a new organization called, The Community Partnership for Mindfulness in Education, now called Mindful Schools. Within the first year of the program, thousands of low-income children benefited from the program. Laurie is delighted and feels fortunate to be working with Inner Explorer because the program teaches mindful awareness to students and teachers simultaneously, in a remarkably effective, sustainable and scalable way. Born in NJ, Laurie now resides in California. The loves of her life are her husband, David, her two kids, Ariel and Perrin, her sisters, family, friends, autumn leaves, whales and, of course, mindful awareness. Laurie’s mom used to call her Lucky Laurie and she is sincerely grateful for her good fortune every day.

Jillian Sullivan is a passionate advocate for mindfulness in education, bringing over 25 years of experience in business development, technology, and marketing to her role as Regional Director at Inner Explorer. Based in Massachusetts, she partners with schools and districts across the Northeast to integrate daily mindfulness practices that reduce stress, improve behavior, and foster calmer, more focused learning environments. Her background is rooted in the corporate world, having spent time at companies like Oracle and SAP, but mindfulness in education has long been a personal passion. Known for her thoughtful, hands-on approach, Jillian is deeply committed to the transformative power of mindfulness for both students and educators. She draws on her extensive professional experience to bring strategic insight to every partnership—while her true inspiration comes from being a mom of three boys. Whether cheering from the sidelines, coaching youth sports, or navigating the everyday chaos of family life, Jillian sees firsthand how mindfulness can make a meaningful difference—both in the classroom and at home.

Tabitha provides strong skills across many different areas of business operations, including finance, accounting, technology, project management, and engagement. Tabitha works daily with teachers and students to introduce them to opportunities to incorporate mindful awareness into their daily routine. As with her own kids, Tabitha knows that encouraging children to focus on inner peace allows them to develop empathy and compassion for themselves and those around them. She has faith that as students learn these skills and aptitudes, they will be happier, healthier and have more success in school.
Tabitha has spent her life in beautiful New England and her joy is hearing success stories from teachers and classrooms that illustrate the positive impact the program has had in the lives of the participants.

As a homeschooler, Travis was passionate about games in education and pioneered using Minecraft in Education at Da Vinci Innovation Academy. He presented at the Immersive Education Summit in 2013 about the merits of utilizing games in education. An Eagle Scout, Travis earned Bachelors of Science degree and was awarded Salutatorian with a major in Game Design. He furthered his education by pursuing multiple professional certifications in Data Analysis, Data Science, and Gamification. Travis has worked as a Data Analyst for Inner Explorer for three years, analyzing user data to discover pertinent insights for improved engagement; trend analysis; tabulating survey results to inform program development; and customizing reports for districts, including analyzing usage data and metrics such as absenteeism, suspension rates, and academic performance. Travis credits his long standing mindfulness practice with supporting his positive outlook, improved focus, and resiliency. When not working, Travis enjoys playing tennis, reading, Japanese Mahjong and spending time with family and friends.

Samantha Sugar makes a deliberate effort to approach life with a balance of creativity and logic. Sam has an innate drive and appreciation for building relationships and cultivating connections. Her values of compassion, humor, and care are the foundation of her professional successes in private and public systems. In addition to her work in the corporate hospitality world, Sam was a public school teacher in New York City and in rural Oregon. During this time Sam used Inner Explorer daily in her classroom, which only further solidified her view that mindfulness in schools is essential for thriving, healthy communities. Sam feels immense gratitude to have been introduced to mindfulness as a child and believes in the positive effects of practicing MBSR to improve everyone’s holistic quality of life. Sam is also passionate about her family, friends, traveling, history, food, literature, and film.

Fard discovered the importance of mindfulness first as a college athlete, juggling school, practice, and travel, then as part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system. He used the tools he learned to develop the habit of daily practice as a way to center his thoughts and gain mental balance. Fard received a Bachelor of Science in Marketing degree from North Carolina A&T State University. He is CPI and CPR certified. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, he has been a Charlotte resident for 19 years. When not working, Fard still spends time playing basketball and training his children in their sports-specific fields. He enjoys competitive games with his wife Krystina and kids, as well as learning about artists and painters.

Jonathan is a passionate advocate for whole-child education, bringing more than a decade of experience in PreK–12 partnerships and program strategy to his role as Regional Director for the Upper Midwest. Throughout his career, he has worked with districts and state leaders to implement evidence-based resources that support student well-being, engagement, and academic growth.
Jonathan started his career as a middle school teacher in Minneapolis. Before joining Inner Explorer, he led national partnerships at organizations such as World Savvy and EVERFI, where he built strong, lasting relationships with school systems across the United States. His work has focused on aligning innovative educational solutions with district goals to create meaningful and measurable impact.
Jonathan is proud to be part of Inner Explorer's mission to expand access to effective mindfulness resources that improve mental health and learning outcomes for all students. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with his wife, two daughters, and their dog, Mac, and enjoys family bike rides, exploring local parks, and finding moments of mindfulness in everyday life.