Staff
Staff
Bradley K. Barrett, Ph.D.
CEO/Executive Director
As CEO/Executive Director of notMYkid, Inc., Brad Barrett is responsible for the overall leadership and development of the organization. He brings to notMYkid more than 30 years of experience in public education, having served the majority of those years as a school district administrator. He has been the superintendent of two large progressive and exceptionally high achieving school districts in the metropolitan Phoenix area. Most recently he retired as superintendent of Gilbert Public Schools. Prior to that, he was the superintendent of Kyrene School District for eight years.
Brad is widely recognized for his outstanding leadership abilities, having developed and implemented strategic plans to accomplish ambitious goals for the organizations he has led. His entrepreneurial approach to education has created a wide scope of learning opportunities for students of all ages.
During his career Brad has served on the boards of numerous professional and civic organizations. In 1993 he was the recipient of the Educational Leadership Award presented to him by The Tribune News. He received the Circle of Excellence Award in 1998 from the Arizona North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Dr. Barrett received his Masters and Ph.D. in Educational Administration from Arizona State University. He is bilingual in Spanish and English. He has lived, worked and traveled extensively in Latin American, Europe and China, where he used his language and multicultural skills to effectively serve diverse communities.
Ric Borom, M.Ed.
Director of Adult Educational Services
Ric Borom brings a diverse resume with him to notMYkid, from working with the mentally ill and running a residential treatment center, to serving search warrants and talking barricaded subjects out of buildings, then eventually running a Charter High school for at-risk teens.
Mr. Borom ran the residential component of The New Foundation from 1992 through 1996, where he supervised and trained staff to assist adolescents in a 24-hour residential treatment setting. He became a police officer in Gilbert in June, 1996, and in his eight years there he was officer of the year in 2002, was a School Resource Officer over his final five years, and was the Team Leader of the Hostage Negotiations section of the SWAT team over his final six years. Mr. Borom was a lead trainer in the areas of Active Shooter Response, Hostage Negotiations, Mobile Field Force (riot control), Dealing with the Mentally Ill, Crisis De-escalation, and many more. He was very active within Highland and Gilbert High Schools, meeting daily with Administrators, Parents and Students.
Mr. Borom is a freelance writer for the Arizona Republic, authoring articles on subjects ranging from the increase in the use of heroin among teens to the use of force among police officers.Mr. Borom earned his Master's in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University in 2002, and in May, 2004, he left the police department to take a position as a Principal with Pinnacle Education. He utilized his skills and love of training to create a safe, structured environment where students enjoyed coming to school. Mr. Borom trained the staff at all of Pinnacle's schools in several disciplines, including crisis de-escalation, interview and interrogation, drug recognition and limit setting, and crisis response.
It is with high expectations and high energy that Ric takes the reigns as the Director of Adult Education at notMYkid.
Jeannie Burts
Office Manager
Jeannie serves as the Office Manager of notMYkid. Recently retired from the public school system she brings a wealth of experience from her service as executive assistant to the CEO/superintendent of two prominent Arizona school districts. Jeannie’s strong organizational and interpersonal skills are an asset to the demands of the company’s growth and development throughout Arizona and anticipated expansion nationwide.
As office manager, Jeannie is a key person in the organizational functions of notMYkid. She directs the day to day administrative operations of the office, including human resources, payroll, purchasing, and accounting functions. She plays an important role in communicating with individuals at every level of the organization.
Jeannie grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area where she completed her education with an emphasis in business courses. While living in California she held an accounting position at a leading company in the Silicon Valley. She also served in a key position at a foremost up and coming private school in San Jose for many years. She and her family moved to the Midwest for a short time in the early 70s and also lived in Kailua, Hawaii for one year. She relocated to the Phoenix area with her family in the late 1980s. Jeannie enjoys using her talents as a keyboard artist and keeps active with her family.
Sam Cianfarano, Ed.D.
Senior Director - Educational Services
Sam Cianfarano has been a school administrator for twenty-seven years at both the elementary and middle school levels. Dr. Cianfarano holds a Masters in Educational Administration from the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, and a Doctorate in Administration & Supervision from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. He is presently retired from the Paradise Valley Unified School District where he was principal of Pinnacle Peak Elementary and Liberty Elementary School, both Excelling schools. He is now an Educational Consultant in the greater Phoenix area. He has been a member of the teaching faculty at the University of Phoenix since 1988, specializing in education, administrative training, school law, thinking skills, and children's literature.
Sam was recognized in 1995 as the Arizona Principal of the Year for his support of inclusion programs for special education students. He also received a Celebrate Literacy Award in 1996 as well as selected for inclusion in Who's Who in American Education.
Sam’s role at NotMYkid is Senior Director of Educational Services. Responsibilities include overseeing the continuation of funding grants and expansion of programs to schools and districts statewide.
Lauren Dunning
Project Assistant
Lauren serves as a Project Assistant for notMYkid, providing part-time administrative and development assistance while acting as the primary grant writer for the organization.
A senior at Arizona State University, Ms. Dunning is pursuing a degree in Nonprofit Leadership and Management and a certificate in American Humanics at ASU’s Downtown Campus. Prior to her employment at notMYkid, Lauren completed a summer internship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s national office.
Natalie Ehmka
Director of Student Educational Services
Natalie serves as the Director of Student Educational Services at notMYkid. This encompasses ClearChoices, an interactive peer education program designed to empower teens to make healthy life choices. ClearChoices speakers share with students their personal life stories of overcoming substance abuse, alcoholism, eating disorders, sexual assault and dating violence, depression, self injury, and bullying / internet safety. As the director, Natalie oversees the development and implementation of ClearChoices programming in over 115 middle and high schools in the state of Arizona. Ms. Ehmka also works to recruit speakers, ages 18-29, from around the Valley and oversees their training to become a speaker.
Natalie has spent ten years as a successful speaker and presenter and has been nationally recognized for her speaking abilities. Natalie grew up in Texas and attended high school there before moving to Phoenix in 2002 to attend Arizona State University. A graduate of ASU, Ms. Ehmka holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Mass Communication from the Walter Cronkite School, and a minor in film.
Natalie began working with notMYkid, Inc. in 2004 as a speaker for the ClearChoices program, and her love for the organization led her to join in a full-time capacity immediately following her graduation from ASU.
Rachel Gordon
Manager of National Marketing and Community Relations
Rachel Gordon is the Manager of Marketing and Community Relations for notMYkid where she serves as the primary media, marketing and public relations contact. Ms. Gordon works to create brand awareness and expand audience reach via print, broadcast and online media outlets for all notMYkid prevention programs in Arizona and Project 7th Grade nationwide. She works with members of the media to educate parents, teachers and community leaders about the dangers of substance abuse, eating disorders, depression & self-injury, alcohol abuse & binge drinking and other adolescent behavioral health issues. Ms. Gordon travels extensively with Project 7th Grade, presenting the drug prevention program to audiences nationwide.
Ms. Gordon brings her extensive event planning background to notMYkid. She served as a wedding planner, often coordinating several weddings and other special events on the same day. While working for the Arizona Renaissance Festival, one of the largest special events in the state of Arizona, she was responsible for organizing field trips for nearly 30,000 students, teachers and chaperones. She also implemented an e-commerce ticketing program that included print@home options, a first for the festival. Her exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills serve notMYkid very well. Rachel organized a drug testing debate “Drug testing your ‘tween: at home, at school or not at all” that was held on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. She also coordinated the “Project 7th Grade Back 2 School” media campaign for notMYkid and organizes the organization’s breakfast and lunch parental education series.
Rachel facilitates ongoing community and parental education through the notMYkid newsletter, Project7thGrade parent update and notMYkid e-news. She works to educate parents in order to help families make positive life choices.
Ms. Gordon brings ten years experience in marketing, media and customer relations to notMYkid. She holds a bachelor of arts in broadcasting from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Telecommunication at Arizona State University. Ms. Gordon also volunteers through Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Arizona – serving as a mentor to a wonderful 7th grader.
Michael Graupmann, M.A.
Director of Training
Michael serves as the Director of Training for all of the speakers that represent notMYkid. He oversees the development of speakers’ skills in extensive workshop seminars that cover speaker expectations, storytelling methods, public speaking pointers and dynamic creative expression. He also works with speakers one-on-one to revise their stories and improve their speaking abilities.
Michael is an ARMY brat that lived in nine different places before his family settled in Arizona. He received a BA in Psychology and a BA in Communication from Arizona State University and went on to get his MA in Performance Studies/Theatre at The University of Texas at Austin.
In addition to teaching public speaking and oral interpretation classes as a professor of Communication, Michael has coached and directed three nationally-ranked university Speech and Debate teams. He was the Co-Director of Forensics at Illinois State University in Normal, IL between 2003-2006 and returned as the Director of Forensics at Arizona State University between 2006-2008. He is overjoyed to employ his skills as a performance coach to the amazing people and proud mission at notMYkid.
Rebbeca Lahann, M.A.
Senior Director - Curriculum Development
Rebbeca serves as Senior Director of Curriculum Development, where she oversees program education related to a state-wide initiative introducing preventative and intervention education into the Arizona public school system. She also handles public affairs as an educator and speaker for notMYkid, helping to raise community awareness and education on topics such as substance and alcohol use/abuse, eating disorders, adolescent depression, internet safety, and safe dating.
Prior to working with notMYkid, Ms. Lahann provided psychological services to at-risk children and adolescents with severe emotional, behavioral, and/or educational problems. Ms. Lahann has had experience working with diverse socio-cultural backgrounds and a broad spectrum of psychiatric disorders. She has been involved with a host of mental health services, including substance abuse treatment, domestic violence awareness and victims advocacy, crisis intervention, and psychoeducational assessments.
Ms. Lahann also brings to notMYkid ten years of experience in marketing, web content development and management with IBM. Ms. Lahann has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology, and is a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology.
Julie Shockley
Manager of Adult Educational Services and Curriculum Development
Julie Shockley serves as Manager of Curriculum Development for notMYkid. She plays a primary role in the development and accountability of our educational curriculum and is passionate about making sure the latest issues, trends, and statistics are represented in our materials.
Ms. Shockley also serves as Manager of Project 7th Grade, which is an innovative, national program designed to dramatically reduce drug use and abuse among youth, through education and proactive prevention. As the Manager of National Programming and Development, Julie works closely with school districts, principals, law enforcement officials, and community organizations to promote Project 7th Grade as a successful drug prevention program for parents of middle school students.
Ms. Shockley recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Her coursework in Drug Addiction and Developmental Psychology especially prepared her for her role with notMYkid, and a semester of teaching freshmen students helped introduce her to the application and delivery of knowledge within the educational field. She has been working for notMYkid since September, 2007.
Lauren Willis
Manager Student Educational Services
Lauren acts as Manager of the Teen Advisory Board (T.A.B.). T.A.B is the newest addition to the notMYkid programs, comprising of high school students from around the valley, who gain strong leadership and organizational skills. As the Coordinator, Ms. Waldrom educates T.A.B. members through the Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute, a nationally recognized youth leadership program. Students are also enlightened on issues that teens face today and how to act as effective leaders. She also assists members with the implementation of service projects and giving back to the community through the leadership skills they acquire.
Lauren has recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education at Arizona State University. She is passionate about improving the generation of tomorrow with a solid curriculum and a strong understanding of important values. She has completed three internships in the classroom and has a genuine understanding of students today. In 2007, Lauren led as the National Event Coordinator for Students for Mitt, a student organization for the Romney 2008 Presidential campaign. A fun learning experience in Lauren’s life was when she had the opportunity to be a performer in Walt Disney World and on the Disney Cruise Line, being part of the Disney College Program. Lauren has grown up in Phoenix and attended schools in the Paradise Valley District. She is second oldest of five girls. Her interests and hobbies include theatre, traveling, music and the outdoors.
Jill Woods
Senior Director of Development and Marketing
Jill Woods serves as the Senior Director of Development and Marketing at notMYkid. She oversees all of notMYkid's marketing and the strategic planning and organization of all educational and fund raising events, helping to assure continued program support and to facilitate improved community awareness about youth behavioral health issues within the community.
Ms. Woods grew up in Texas before settling in the Valley. She graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration. She has over 10 years in the media industry, having held positions as the Vice President of Group W Radio Sales in Dallas as well as experience as Sales Manager of KHMX-FM in Houston, TX. Over the past 15 years, Ms. Woods has been active with her family and within the community. She maintains an active presence with local and National organizations, such as Phoenix Children’s Hospital, The Emily Center, Helping Hands for the Homeless, Interfaith Hospitality Network, National Charity League and St. Barnabus on the Desert Episcopal Church. We are excited to have the opportunity to have Ms. Woods as part of our team!
Founders
Debbie Moak
Founder
Debbie Moak founded notMYkid, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about prevalent youth and adolescent mental and behavioral health issues, in April of 2000.
Ms. Moak is committed to instilling a proactive approach to teen and parenting issues by raising awareness through educational programs. She is a much sought after speaker who has traveled internationally to speak to thousands of teens and parents about her personal experience with substance abuse in her own family as well as others she has reached through notMykid, Inc. Her presentations emphasize her optimism about the relationship between parent and child and the impact all parents can have in turning around substance abuse in their own family through early intervention.
Prior to her involvement with notMykid, Inc., Ms. Moak was a founding member of the Thomas J. Pappas School for homeless children Foundation and has been actively involved with Young Life Organization for many years.
As a retired elementary school teacher, Ms. Moak cites raising her own two children as one of her greatest privileges and greatest challenges. She is a graduate of Northern Kentucky University and holds a dual certificate in Education. She taught elementary education for 10 years in Kentucky, Ohio and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Ms. Moak resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona with her husband Steve. They have two grown sons, Steve who is 29 and Dan who is 25. Her hobbies include snow skiing, running, cycling and scuba diving.
Steve Moak
Founder
Coming Soon!
Mark Rohde, Ph.D.
Founder
Dr. Rohde graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State, did graduate work at ASU, University of Oxford (England), & the University of Northern Colorado, and was a Mott Foundation Fellow. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the Union Graduate School / Union Institute and additionally completed three years of training with the Post-Graduate Institute for Family Therapy. He most often works with children, adolescents & families and frequently employs a combination of individual, family and group psychotherapy.
Mark holds Diplomate status with the American Board of Assessment Psychology and has specialty certification in addictions treatment from the American College of Professional Psychology. He is a former teacher who has held administrative positions at a private school, an addictions treatment center, a community mental health center, and a residential treatment program. Mark has been recognized for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology by the Arizona Psychological Association. He has an interest in computer applications in psychology and is a founder of notMYkid. Mark is on the faculty of the Institute for Creative Change.
Looking for our ClearChoices speakers?
Click HERE!