The Be Kind People Project

Anthony Kelly (AKELLZ) was born and raised in New York and graduated with a BFA in dance and BA in theatre from Arizona State University.  In full-circle fashion, AKELLZ is now teaching at the college/university level as a dance professor at ASU and surrounding schools and has traveled as a solo artist and teaching artist nationwide. 

AKELLZ currently serves as a Be Kind Crew member and The National Manager of Creative Content and Be Kind Crew Experiences:  developing dance/spoken word and video content for schools and communities across the country.  

With a BFA in Dance from Arizona State University, Kayla Tomooka has been with The Be Kind People Project™ for ongoing three years as a member of THE BE KIND CREW™ and most recently as the Special Care Manager with our School Support Group.

As someone who is passionate about youth development, she is honored to have the opportunity to be part of and help implement the programs we create.

As a socially-engaged practitioner, educator, choreographer, and director, Melissa Britt has demonstrated excellence in innovation and creativity through art projects, initiatives, and programming development that focuses on community inclusion, youth development, and student arts leadership.

Prior to joining The Be Kind People Project, she served as a Professor of Dance at Arizona State University from 2011-2019 with a focus on dance practices, community-site performance, and community engagement. Currently serving as Senior National Director of Strategic and Creative Education Practices, she oversees Be Kind programs, CREW creative and content development for assemblies, school programs, community events, and major fundraising efforts. She believes that inspiring and motivating youth through arts and character education is essential for the development of the next generation of leaders. 

ADL Los Angeles

Annie has worked in the field of Public Health and Community Education for 16 years. Having worked with diverse communities in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, she has expertise in delivering both evidence-based classroom curricula, and design and delivery of innovative education programs. She has provided services in English and Spanish related to Kinship Care, Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention, Mental Health, Anti-Bias Education, and Bullying Prevention.  

As Education Director for ADL Los Angeles, Annie directs all aspects of the A WORLD OF DIFFERNCE® Institute, by marketing, designing, and coordinating training programs for educational anti-bias training programs and initiatives, as well as recruiting, training, and supervising a cadre of trainers.

SBCUSD

Marlene is the Director of Positive Youth Development in the San Bernardino City Unified School District where she leads in the areas of expulsions, suspensions, attendance, and bullying. Marlene has 21 years of educational experience and holds her doctoral degree in educational leadership from Azusa Pacific University where her research was centered around restorative practices.

In this session, participants will learn how SBCUSD is using a unique approach to bullying prevention and intervention without the need to shame and blame the student doing the bullying.

Participants will also be able to summarize the highly effective and unique restorative practice called the Undercover Anti-Bullying Team.

The LGBTQ+ Center of Riverside County

Tammy is a California Native. She graduated from Vanguard University with a BS in Sports Science she has her master’s in Organizational leadership from UMass Global. She is married to her wife Toni, they have 5 kids, 2 dogs, and a cat.

Tammy is one of the cofounders of The LGBTQ+ Center of Riverside county which she started with 3 other friends in 2018 to educate and advocate for the LGBTQ+community while providing safe spaces for our youth.

The LGBTQ+ Center of Riverside County was founded in 2018 with the following vision. To guide and support the local LGBTQ+ community and its allies. To help them become who they aspire to be. To achieve their goals with courage and pride. To form friendships and connections with members of the community through different programs that will inspire them to be the best they can be. To be free. To love all and be loved by all.

California Baptist University’s School of Performance and Sport Psychology

Mario Soto is a graduate professor of Sport psychology and performance at California Baptist University in Riverside, CA.  In addition to his teaching duties, he is a full-time consultant to elite athletes, executives, and corporations around the world looking to enhance their level of performance.

Using passion, educational research, and first-hand stories from the multitude of high-level performers he’s coached or studied, Mario provides an insight into the science and success of performance explaining how stress impacts one’s performance.

Mario’s ability to connect with and inspire individuals, teams, and leaders has yielded exceptional reviews from top sports organizations, high-level athletes, businesses, and first responders.  A dynamic speaker, Mario combines a unique background of education and applicational experience to bring compelling insights to the real-world challenges of leading others with the goal of separating oneself from the pack in today’s competitive marketplace.

Mario Soto received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University and graduate degree from California State University at Fullerton where he was mentored under the late great Dr. Ken Ravizza, and most recently went back to school getting certifications in Leadership and Executive Performance at Cornell University.  Since the 1990’s his years of experience working and consulting in healthcare, professional services, manufacturing, athletics, and the world of First Responders have positioned him to be one of the most knowledgeable speakers on the subject of performance, positive coaching, and mindfulness.

A kid that turned his insecurity into his gift. – “I went from someone who was bullied for 15 years for how I spoke, 7 years of speech therapy, constantly repeating myself to now inspirational speaker, podcaster listened to 30+ countries, and winning multiple speech and pitch competitions.”
Shelomo Solson is a Youth Motivational Speaker, the author of ‘Never Fight Alone’, and has a podcast that’s been listened to in over 30 countries.

The odds were stacked against Shelomo Solson from the beginning. He was bullied for 15 years because other kids thought he spoke funny, did not come from a wealthy family, failed every reading assessment, encountered racism/prejudice, and to top it all off, four of his best friends died in a car accident. He talks about how he was able to overcome life struggles and how other students can do the same to become their version of success.

Best Buddies