Harness positive psychology,

create conditions for thriving.

A former 4th-grade teacher, professional musician and certified 200H yoga teacher, Martín Blank founded The Astronauts SEL Program to help all kids have the skills to regulate and express emotions in productive ways. He has implemented and taught Social Emotional Learning (SEL), stress-management and meditation programs to over 15,000 students, administrators, and teachers across North America. His work with Sky Schools in teaching breathing and meditation to high-stress schools has been featured on PBS Nova's 2016 The Future of Schools. Martín holds a MAPP degree (Master in Applied Positive Psychology) from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was awarded the Christopher Peterson Memorial Fellowship in 2018. He also studied education, philosophy, and social change at UC Berkeley, as well as Jazz Studies at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley, CA.

Frederic Luskin, PhD is the author of best-selling Forgive for Good and Forgive for Love and one of the world's leading researchers and teachers on the subject of forgiveness. He is the director of the Stanford Forgiveness Projects, a series of research projects that have validated his forgiveness methods. He is a Lecturer in Wellness at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Department Chair of Clinical Psychology at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. He lives in Redwood City, California and has given expert guidance throughout the development of The Astronauts SEL program.

Anna Lucas is a wellbeing consultant, professional development facilitator, coach and community builder passionate about the power of bringing people together to create and sustain positive change for our world. Anna studied Psychology and Leadership as an undergraduate student and earned her Master's in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Anna brings over 10 years of experience ranging from organizing community health projects, managing experiential education programs, and directing research initiatives. Her consulting practice is centered on the power of connection to facilitate positive change, and is grounded in the science of positive psychology, community psychology, and positive organizational scholarship. Anna supports individuals, organizations, and communities at the intersection of community, connection, culture, and wellbeing.

Mike Edwards has taught elementary school for a decade, including eight years in a high-trauma and economically disadvantaged school. Teaching young children, he has embedded mindfulness and breathing into his craft. He is formally trained on a variety of SEL programs, and uses nontraditional approaches to address social emotional learning. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from UC Berkeley and a Master of Science in Educational Technology from Cal State East Bay. He is recently married; his wife is a school psychologist. He is an avid world traveler and sailor, with a passion for learning about humanity.

Sharon has been a practitioner and trainer in the field of Conflict Resolution for over 20 years. Her primary focus has been assisting families, schools and businesses in resolving their disputes.

She started out as a volunteer with Mediation Services of Castro Valley and eventually become the Executive Director of the organization. From there, she branched out into her
own business, ‘Ohana Resource Group, as a family mediator and parenting coach. Sharon teaches conflict resolution, peer-to-peer mediation through the Astronauts SEL high school program.

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jonny received a BA in Fine Arts from San Francisco State University. After college he began his career as a fine artist making oil paintings and has taught Art at Galileo Summer Camp for several summers. In 2015-16, Jonny spent 19 months traveling abroad, where making street art and murals. He now has several murals in various countries as well as around the US. His passions are health, fitness, and mindfulness and he is currently undergoing the Kresser Institute's year-long health coach training. He has always loved teaching and learning, and considers it an incredible opportunity to work with students in innovative Astronauts partner programs.

Eli Goldlink, co-founder of the Astronauts music non-profit branch, is a pianist and Keyboardist. Eli gigs regularly in the SF Bay Area and New Orleans, and recieved his training through a Bachelor of Music degree at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley. Besides his involvement in The Astronauts, he plays piano for Cha Ching, (one of the hottest dance bands in the Bay Area) and for Eli Goldlink’s Flavor of the Month Club Band, (a personal project).

Jacob Savage, founder of CONCRN, a 911-alternative emergency response organization that brings community compassionate response to mental health crises in San Francisco, is an professional Trumpeter. An integral member of various Bay Area bands, he brings his joy for youth to the schools, Jacob combines his passions for empathy and community building and music in Astronauts assemblies and community service programs. When he is not playing in assemblies, Jacob can be heard playing at many music clubs in SFBA, busking on the street, or dispatching emergency compassionate response volunteers.