Our Mission.
To help build more connected, supportive and compassionate school communities where each student, educator and parent is empowered to thrive.
Mission-driven from the start.
Seven years ago, I met a father who lost his son in the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. He introduced me to the Sandy Hook Promise, an organization dedicated to preventing gun violence in schools by teaching young people to recognize, intervene and get help for individuals who may be socially isolated or at risk of hurting themselves or others. I was so inspired by their mission, which was all about creating a culture change that destigmatizes talking about mental health.
I began reflecting on my own life and realized the big impact that mentors and coaches have had on my happiness, well-being and fulfillment. Working with a coach encouraged me to deepen my relationship with myself and taught me certain tools, like mindfulness, that allowed me to make better decisions, improve my relationships and build resilience. All skills that I wish I had learned as a teenager so that I could have more readily handled challenges such as my parents’ divorce or being cut from the high school basketball team.
I co-founded Robin with Scott Farber to bring the power of human connection to schools through coaches like those who so greatly impacted me. Our coaches help destigmatize the mental health conversation by creating safe spaces in schools for all students to be able to open up about their challenges, support each other, and ask for help when they need it.
Sonny Thadani Sonny Thadani Co-Founder & CEO
Our People.
Sonny Thadani.
Sonny is a dedicated dad of three, first and foremost. Sonny's passion for education and mental health came after working with Sandy Hook Promise, an organization dedicated to improving the lives and mental well-being of students across the US.
Meet Sonny
Scott Farber.
Scott co-founded A-List Education with a mission of leveling the playing field for all students. Growing from just a handful of students in 2005, A-List now serves more than 80,000 students across the US and around the world.
Meet Scott
Linda Thompson.
With experience in education, development and consulting, Linda's work at Robin has been laser-focused on building a unique service that provides school communities with resources to help students improve their mental health so they can learn better. Linda earned her Dual-degree M.Ed. in Inclusive and Special Education at Columbia University Teachers College. As a teacher for over twenty years, Linda has a deep passion for youth mental health and well-being and now serves as the driving force behind the educational philosophy and framework for the Robin mental health solution.
Meet Linda
Colleen Baucom.
Inspired each day by Robin’s purpose, Colleen leads all things brand, marketing and communications for Robin. With more than 20 years of experience, Colleen excels in applying consumer insights and thoughtful, data-driven analyses to build purposeful brand visions and multi-channel marketing strategies.
Meet Colleen
Eric Gorenstein.
Eric feels a deep commitment to Robin's mission, as he grew up with a father that suffered with mental health issues. Life at home was volatile, but he was fortunate to have teachers and coaches around him to help him develop the self-esteem and confidence needed to become a well-adjusted adult. He feels fortunate that he can now help young people develop the skills and confidence to be successful and happy adults.
Meet Eric
Amy Jensen.
Amy Jensen has spent over fifteen years in education, first as a classroom teacher and then in curricula and product development. Designing innovative, rich and relevant learning experiences where students and adults internalize critical life skills is her thing.
Meet Amy
Tara Karch.
A Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher and a former classroom teacher of 14 years, Tara was chosen as Teacher of the Year at each of the two schools where she taught, and also served on the Social Emotional Learning Leadership Team. Tara taught at the elementary school level with a passion for her students’ mental and emotional well-being. That passion grew to include a desire to support her colleagues' mental and emotional well-being and ultimately led her to leave the classroom and join the team at Robin.
Meet Tara
Liam Daly.
Liam has been passionate about mental health for the past decade. As a young adult who struggled with anxiety and depression in middle and high school, he lives for the Robin mission to help students face the challenges that come with each day. A Northeastern graduate, he has experience in brand strategy, content marketing and market research.
Meet Liam
Catherine Cunningham.
Catherine holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from American University and a Master of Arts degree in Education Policy from Teachers College, Columbia University. Fueled by her passion for education reform, Catherine has dedicated her career to improving educational outcomes for students.
Meet Catherine
Heidi Oliver.
Heidi has spent ten years as an educator and an additional seven years in educational technology. A graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State University with a BS degree in Elementary Education, she has partnered with K-12 schools across the country, helping them successfully implement curriculum and supplemental software to achieve their educational goals.
Meet HeidiOur Advisors.
Leaders in mental health and education with many decades of experience, Sarah, George, John, Barbara, Matthew and Ned are active advisors to our entire team. Seasoned and knowledgeable, our advisors support and guide many aspects of the Robin business including curriculum development, coach training and programming implementation in schools.
John Yoo.
John Yoo began his career as a classroom teacher and administrator at several New York City Schools. He transitioned from the classroom to become an award-winning digital producer and eventually CEO of the successful and fast-growing TeachersPayTeachers and Noodle Markets. John now works with underrepresented founders to build and scale their companies, serves on the Board of Nonprofits, Design for Change US, inSTEMact and B Corp Kinvolved and is a mentor and “Shark” at StartED/NYU Steinhardt Edtech Accelerator.
Meet John
Dr. Meisha Porter.
Dr. Meisha Porter is currently working at the Center for Educational Innovation dedicated to creating high-performing schools in under-resourced communities to help children succeed. Dr. Porter was previously Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest school system in the nation. As the first black woman to take on this role she was responsible for educating 1.1 million students in over 1,800 schools.
Meet Meisha
Dr. Barbara McKeon.
As Senior Program Director for the Cahn Fellows Programs, Dr. McKeon leads the effort to provide advanced professional development, recognition and support for distinguished school leaders around the country. A former 2015 Cahn Fellow for Distinguished Principals herself, Dr. McKeon has written and spoken extensively on improving school culture, school turnaround, aspiring leadership, building relational trust and integrating restorative practices.
Meet Barbara
Dr. Edward Hallowell.
Ned is a board-certified child and adult psychiatrist and world authority on ADHD. He is the Founder of The Hallowell ADHD Centers in several US cities. Dr. Hallowell is a New York Times bestselling author and has written 20 books on multiple psychological topics including the groundbreaking Driven to Distraction. In addition to being an Advisor, Ned coaches Robin's community of parents and teachers form stronger connections with their middle and high schoolers.
Meet Ned
Sarah Halloway.
Sarah is currently a full-time member of the SIPA faculty where she teaches Nonprofit Financial Management and Social Entrepreneurship. She runs the school’s Management Specialization and oversees a campus-wide entrepreneurship initiative focused on Global Education Technology for the Center for Development Economics & Policy. Halloway has co-founded six K-12 education start-ups including MOUSE.org and Computer Science for All (CSforAll.)
Meet Sarah
Dr. Matthew Murphy.
Dr. Matthew Murphy served as teacher, principal, curriculum director and, most recently as superintendent, in several high-performing New Jersey public schools. Amid political skepticism and tight budgets, he built social and emotional learning into every grade level from preschool to graduation. He pushed for the curriculum requirement that has every sophomore completing Teen Mental Health First Aid training, as recognized in The Washington Post.
Meet Matthew
George Mumford.
George is a highly acclaimed expert in sports psychology, mindfulness, and performance. In the early nineties, George co-founded the Inner-city Stress Reduction Clinic with Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn. Soon after he began working with Phil Jackson and became Jackson's “secret weapon” to winning 8 NBA Championships. George has worked with many NBA champions as well as corporate executives, elite athletes and Olympians. Today, George helps the Robin community become more focused and present – enabling them to enter a high-growth mindset.
Meet George