Meet the Team

Jill Apperson

Co-Founder | Certified iRest® Teacher

Jill is an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s books; they are translated and distributed in 5 continents as part of Social and Emotional Learning Curricula. She has taught elementary school children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Okayama, Japan; and Mbabane, Eswatini. She earned her BA in French Literature from Pomona College and completed language training in comprehensive Italian at Department Of State Language Center, Roslyn, VA. Before starting JabuMind, Jill owned Jabulani Yoga Studio in Corona del Mar, CA. She created and led youth yoga programs for the City of Newport Beach, CA and at local elementary schools. She is passionate about teaching, learning, and sharing. She is a certified iRest teacher. She practices and teaches somatic yoga, iRest, and yoga nidra. Her desire to promote emotionally healthy and compassionate education tools led her to start JabuMind. She joined educators, administrators and mental health specialists who shared her belief in the importance of caring for the classroom teachers. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her adult daughters and teenage sons and coaching High School Girls Basketball. She likes to practice mindfulness and meditate next to her large Italian Sheepdog.

Carolyn Grabiel, M.A.

Advisor

Carolyn has a background in Sales, Finance, and Counseling. She holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and bachelor’s degrees in both Business Economics and Psychology from UC Santa Barbara. Before joining JabuMind, Carolyn worked for 20 years in finance as a residential loan officer for both wholesale and retail mortgage lending sales, and 5 years counseling chronic pain patients with both traditional therapy methods and biofeedback techniques. Always intrigued with the interdependence of logical/informational with intuitive/emotional brain functions, she also created and presented Stress Management Seminars for corporate clients, an area in which her blend of business and counseling expertise coalesced perfectly. While raising her children, Carolyn held leadership roles in Parent/Faculty boards and other education-related organizations at her children’s schools and a position as assistant cross-country and track coach at the high school and middle school grade levels. In this manner, she has experienced today’s educational structure from several different vantage points: parent, volunteer, and employee. In her free time, you will find her with her husband watching their son in crew races & visiting their daughter at college. She works on daily meditation in many different forms including quiet reflection, long runs or a walk on one of the beautiful beaches near her home.

Ann Rankowitz, MSW, LCSW, CPC

Co-Founder

Ann is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Professional Life Coach with extensive leadership and management experience in the non-profit environment. She holds a master’s degree in social work from Rhode Island College. Before joining JabuMind, Ann worked in high-level non-profit leadership positions. She has expertise in supervising clinical staff and mentoring and coaching new clinicians, managers, and leaders. Ann is passionate about connecting with others whose mission is to have a powerful impact on the lives of others through meaningful change to help individuals live their best lives yet. In her free time Ann enjoys volunteering, cooking, reading and spending time with close family and friends. On the weekends Ann can be found attending vintage car shows and taking long car rides discovering the West. Ann enjoys traveling east, as often as possible, to spend time with her daughter and 3 granddaughters. She practices mindfulness by connecting with nature and practicing breathing techniques.

Tomás Campos

Subject Matter Expert & Advisor

Tomás Campos is an executive, entrepreneur, and graduate of The University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business. He is the CEO & Cofounder of SpinWheel Inc., a platform to help Americans pay down student debt by powering management and payment of loans in their favorite loyalty, payment, and banking apps. Prior to starting Spinwheel, Tomás was the Senior Vice President of Westfield Retail Solutions, the CEO & Cofounder of FluidM Inc., and the General Manager of Blackhawk Network. In 2012, during his time at Blackhawk Network, Tomás was awarded the honor of Executive of the Year by the Business Intelligence Group.

Tomás was raised in Southern California, where both of his parents were teachers. When he heard about JabuMind’s mission to support teacher self-care, he was determined to help. Tomás’ partner first introduced him to both yoga and meditation. Initially, he was a bit skeptical. However, the benefits he experienced quickly made him a believer. Tomás lives in the Bay Area with his partner Jeanette, a nurse practitioner and emergency room RN/MSN. He enjoys travel, hiking, and time spent with family.

Kathleen H. Caffrey, M.Ed.

Teacher/Administrator Advisor

Kathleen is an educator with experience both as a teacher and as an administrator. She holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Rhode Island College, a master’s degree in Elementary Education from Syracuse University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island. Before joining Jabumind, Kathleen worked for over thirty years as an elementary teacher and principal at the elementary levels. Her teaching experience also includes preschool and the college level in five different states. She has served on a variety of educational committees, piloted several instructional programs, and participated in the writing and development of instructional curriculums and programs. Kathleen has also served multiple school districts as a school-change facilitator. In her semi-retirement, she finds balance in an active lifestyle, spending time with family and friends, often on Cape Cod, and volunteering in the schools and at the library. She practices mindfulness to retain her resilience.

Stacey Fetterman

Certified iRest® Teacher

Stacey Fetterman is a Certified iRest® Teacher with six years of experience in teaching yoga, mindfulness, and art. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication from The University of San Diego. Stacey holds her Certified Yoga Teacher (200 hours) in Power Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yin Yoga. Before joining JabuMind, Stacey was a full-time teacher for Jabulani Yoga. She also consulted for and had contracts with local schools, crisis centers, and recovery homes. For three years, Stacey has been an essential part of the Peer Assistance League (P.A.L.) program, and its TeamWork Leadership Ropes Course. She leads the yoga portion of the workshop where she teaches mindfulness, the science of the brain, and yoga poses to elementary and high school students and teachers. Stacey also received grants from UCI Law and the Center For Living Peace to teach the iRest method. She developed and led the kids’ yoga program, Peaceful Painting program, and Mind-Body -Nature Summer Camp for three years at Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona Del Mar, CA. She is a certified Creatively Fit Coach with artist Whitney Freya, a preschool teacher at the River School, and is also a professional artist who loves supporting others as they explore and play with creativity. Stacey finds joy living and creating her art surrounded by nature and animals. She practices mindfulness and present moment awareness through her art and connecting with others.

Nora Seager, PDE

Teacher Advisor

Nora Seager is an educational professional with twenty-three years of classroom experience. Nora teaches in the high school level with seniors in a highly competitive public high school. Nora holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Pomona College and a Professional Diploma in Education from the University of Hawaii – Manoa. She has taught as an educator for twenty-three years, has consulted with the College Board for fifteen years, consulted with the Federal Reserve Bank and their Educational Advisory Group in 2015 and serves on the Board of the California Association of School Economics Teachers (CASET). Like most public school employees, she also served as department chair, coached sports for nine years, participated in the District Continuous Improvement Committee and serves her school site as a Union Representative. Nora enjoys spending time outdoors and modeling for her students a balanced life with athletic activities, surfing, sailing, swimming, and hiking, along with time with family. She practices mindfulness by focusing on setting a daily intention for her classroom, her students and herself.

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