Meet the MY HERO Team

Jeanne Meyers is the Co-Founder & Director of MY HERO

Jeanne is a filmmaker, a mother, a grandmother, a mentor and an activist passionate about creating and sharing media that can create educate, inspire and empower young people to see their own potential to create positive change in the world.

Jeanne went to college with a Sony Port-Pak and worked while a student at Brown University. After graduation, she convinced the university to invest in media production equipment and was given the opportunity to mentor students and faculty interested in creating videos as the first director of Brown University’s Media Services. Later, Jeanne travelled around the world producing short videos for NBC News. She later attended the American Film Institute and then launched Big View Pictures, Inc to create family-focused entertainment. As a mother of young children and a producer of media Jeanne was interested in creating a space where people of all ages could share and discover films about real-life heroes working for positive change around the world.

In 1994 working with Emmy award-winning filmmakers Tom Weinberg, Skip Blumberg, Rita Stern and Joel Cohen, she produced a TV Pilot for a MY HERO TV Series with author Michael Crichton, teacher Laurel Greenber and The Mayor and Fireman of NYC and Laguna Beach Life Guards. The producers were told the pilot was "great" by TV executives but that it was not commercially viable. So, in 1995, with the support of Karen Pritzker and Rita Stern, MY HERO was launched as a not-for-profit website. Since then, Jeanne has been directing this online experiment - growing a rich media library of inspiring stories, art and films and providing teachers and students with digital story tools and a safe platform to share their hero stories.

Today, Jeanne directs a small but devoted team of educators, artists, writers, programmers and student interns. Together they work to honor heroes around the world campaigning for peace, for human rights, and for the environment. For over 25 years, Jeanne has watched over the development of MY HERO's Interactive Story Telling programs, the online library and mentored students, teachers and artists who have joined this global learning community. 

To contact Jeanne please email: [email protected]

A former child soldier from Sierra Leone, Mohamed Sidibay, transformed his tragic early years into purpose and hope. After being rescued and supported through iEARN and the MY HERO community, he came to the U.S., earned a degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution from George Washington University, and served as a MY HERO peace ambassador. Now a MY HERO board member, Mohamed is a global advocate for education, working with nonprofits, youth commissions, and the UN to ensure all children have access to quality learning.

In 2021, Mohamed earned his law degree from Fordham University School of Law and began his legal career at the prestigious firm Covington & Burling in New York. 

Nathan Smith is the Art Director and Webmaster for MY HERO

Nathan began designing flash and graphics for the project when he was 15 years old. He has grown up along computers, winning several awards for his ingenuity and unique style of creativity. When he was 12, he began publishing his own newsletters to his friends and family. Soon after he appeared on NBC's "News for Kids" as inventor of the year for his 'Interactive Resume' application. When his mentor Gary Birch, a dean at the Laguna College of Art and Design, saw his talent, he asked him to help teach advanced multimedia classes. After both attending and teaching at the prestigious art school, he began his own company, Flash Venom - specializing in bleeding-edge media production.

After starting a family, Nathan became determined to find a job as a programmer and was immediately hired at a software company called NextAce. He quickly became affluent in Coldfusion, PHP, and ASP/.NET and moved on to focus, once again, on his company and clients. Soon after, Nathan was recognized again for his outstanding work as Art Director for the MY HERO website with a prestigious Webby award.

Nathan is also a music lover. His passion began when he was 8, listening to his grandfather's Johnny Cash collection on vinyl. He began spinning techno and house music as a DJ, but by the time he was 21, he turned his focus to the local hip-hop scene. Since then, he has produced and performed 4 different albums for local musical acts out of his home studio using pro audio applications like Pro Tools and Logic Pro.

The design and database tools that MY HERO provides teachers, students and creative activists online have been built with Nathan's direction and leadership. He has contributed to the success of all of our programs with his creative vision guiding and improving our interactive resources continuously for the last 21 years.

Santos Silvestre Herrera is the Director of Media Arts Education & Film Festivals for MY HERO

Rachel began working for the MY HERO Project as an intern in 2018 while studying at the University of Southern California. She is currently the Assistant Director of the MY HERO International Film Festival and Media Arts Education Programs. Since 2020, Rachel has also played a key role in overseeing and expanding MY HERO’s internship program. She has a B.F.A. in Film and Television Production and enjoys traveling and working on documentary films.

To contact Rachel, please email: [email protected]

Betty Bailey is a Los Angeles–based writer and producer whose work spans journalism and filmmaking. For the past 21 years, she has contributed to The MY HERO Project and Film Festival. She writes about artists, scientists, and historic events, and she produced a short documentary about a young Native American filmmaker for The MY HERO Report.

Betty writes about artists, scientists, and significant historical events, highlighting the individuals and ideas that shape our world. She also produced a short documentary for The MY HERO Report profiling a young Native American filmmaker, demonstrating her commitment to amplifying diverse voices and emerging talent.

She holds a master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a master’s degree in Writing for Performance from the University of Cambridge. Betty has worked in both print and broadcast news, covering national and local politics. She currently works as a freelance feature and travel writer based in Los Angeles.

To contact Betty, please email: [email protected]

Stu Pearlman is the Audio Manager for MY HERO

Stuart has served MY HERO for the past 15 years, curating and managing new audio submissions and overseeing quality control for music, music videos, spoken word, and poetry prior to publication. His careful review and proofreading ensure that each submission meets MY HERO’s standards of excellence.

In addition to his editorial work, Stuart has played an active role in coordinating student performances both in classrooms and at MY HERO events. He has performed alongside faculty members and professional musicians, creating meaningful artistic collaborations that inspire young creators.

A dedicated mentor, Stuart works closely with interns to develop their musical skills and expand their creative abilities. He has organized recording sessions where students can learn, participate, and produce their own music, and has guided them in creating personal accounts on the MY HERO website to share their work.

Stuart also contributes to outreach efforts, helping build partnerships and encourage participation with other like-minded nonprofit organizations.

Beyond his work with MY HERO, Stuart is a professional pianist who has performed at the Hollywood Bowl, collaborated with Quincy Jones, and appeared in concerts throughout the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. He runs his own music preparation and copy business and is a member of the JT & Friends Orchestra, a charitable organization.

To contact Stu, please email: [email protected]

Abi Richardson is a Staff Writer and Editor for MY HERO

Over the last 30 years, Abigail’s passion for teaching and the arts has led to her taking roles in both the UK and US. Her initial graduate and post-graduate training in teaching and drama were at the University of Surrey and Leicester University in the UK. Following this, she completed her MA in composition at the University of Massachusetts.

Abigail has combined the skills of teaching and dramatic arts to inspire children and adults across the UK and US, teaching and leading departments from New Hampshire and Massachusetts to Kent and Rutland in the UK.  Abigail has also developed a wide experience in journalism and marketing by writing for and editing print and online magazines for over 21 years. She is currently the co-owner of a small publication company. 

Abigail joined The MY HERO team in June 2021 as Staff Writer and Story Editor. She now leads the curation, management, and editing of new story submissions, as well as creating content and coordinating themed day showcases that highlight relevant material from the MY HERO Library.

More recently, she has taken on the additional role of Art Gallery Curator, and she also manages the daily calendar and educational resources that support teachers, students, and the wider MY HERO community.

To contact Abi, please email: [email protected]

Naomi Gledhill is a Staff Writer for MY HERO

Naomi joined the MY HERO Project in 2022 after graduating from the University of Leeds, UK with a BA in English and Music. Her background in music and literature instilled in her a deep appreciation for the arts and the way they can be used to create a better world.  

She began writing stories for MY HERO whilst completing her MSc Psychology (Conversion) at the University of Law. Now, Naomi runs the MY HERO Learning Circles in collaboration with iEARN (International Education and Resource Network). She also manages the MY HERO Newswire and partnership with the Christian Science Monitor and curates the Hero Calendar alongside Abigail. She continues to contribute to the MY HERO story library, with a particular focus on creating stories for younger readers and those for whom English is a second language.

To contact Naomi please email: [email protected]

Stephanie Cole has managed MY HERO administrative operations since 2001. 

Stephanie handles monthly accounting, annual audits, payroll, billing and  payments. She reviews grant budget proposals and contracts as well as handling day-to-day administrative operations. Prior to joining MY HERO, Stephanie had a 20-year career at an international real estate development firm based in Southern California. Her expertise and guidance has been an integral part of The MY HERO Project's growth and development.  

Kitty began her MY HERO journey as an Intern during her Year in Industry while studying Music and philosophy at the University of Leeds, UK. As an Intern, she created multiple content for MY HERO and continued to host and edit the Eva Haller Salon Series during her final year. Kitty is now a staff member, the MY HERO composer, and works predominantly with the Film Festival team. She recently edited and wrote the music for the Eva Haller documentary. Kitty is also an award-winning singer-songwriter. She writes prolifically and can be found on Spotify and Apple.

A recent graduate of NYU’s Master’s program in Songwriting and Composition, she continues to write, record, film, and edit live performances while producing her own music and theatrical works.

To contact Kitty, please email: [email protected]

Sam started with MY HERO as a film festival intern in 2023 while studying at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. After graduating in 2025, he joined the MY HERO staff as a festival programmer, helping find incredible films to feature in our annual film festival. He is passionate about discovering young directors at the beginning of their filmmaking careers and sharing their work with a wider audience.

Tocontact Sam, please email: [email protected]