Choose Love Team

Scarlett Lewis

Scarlett Lewis founded the nonprofit Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement in honor of her son, Jesse, who was murdered during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in December 2012. Shortly after his death, Scarlett decided to be part of the solution to the issues that we’re seeing in our society — that also caused the tragedy — and turned it into an opportunity to build a culture of love, resilience, forgiveness, and connection in our communities at a time when it is needed the most.

Scarlett became a Character Social-Emotional Development Advocate to help children manage their emotions, feel connected, and have healthy, meaningful relationships. She created the Choose Love For Schools program, a no cost, comprehensive, lifespan, next generation character and social emotional development (CSED) program that teaches children how to thoughtfully respond with love in any situation by using the Choose Love Formula (Courage + Gratitude + Forgiveness + Compassion-in-Action), and offer ways for children to handle adversity, have courageous conversations, and to respond with love. Choose Love extends beyond the classroom through additional no-cost programs, including programs for the home, communities, athletics, and the workplace, as well as multiple extension programs. The Choose Love programs have been accessed in all 50 states and in 120 countries, reaching 3 million children.

Shannon Desilets

Shannon’s journey is an example of when one’s passion and purpose come together. At her core is the desire to help others. Shannon’s expertise in brain-based trauma therapy is what first introduced her to the Choose Love Movement, as she has provided therapy to the Newtown/Sandy Hook CT community for the last 10 years. She has been an instructor of this specialized therapy (MNRI), teaching and providing therapy worldwide. With a strong desire to work to bring the Choose Love Movement to her son’s school in NH, she became a Choose Love Ambassador, but things didn’t stop there.

Shannon was appointed by and has worked directly out of the office of Governor Chris Sununu since August of 2018  Since this time, she has led the nation through the efforts and example being set by the state of NH, utilizing this Character Social Emotional Development lifespan program. She is a pivotal member of the School Safety Preparedness Taskforce, working directly with Homeland Security. Further, under her direction, New Hampshire has become the first in the nation to launch Choose Love for Caregivers (designed for foster parents and workers in the field), as well as Choose Love for Corrections.  She provides workshops for every division within the Department of Safety and various other state departments.

Shannon is a published author for STRIVE magazine, sharing what NH has made happen with the Choose Love Movement. Shannon also leads the Choose Love Youth and College level Ambassadors.  In addition, she serves as the Choose Love liaison for governmental departments nationwide.

Her heart shines when bringing the Choose Love Movement forward, and she is fueled to bring this to all!

Betsy Carlson

Jan Pierret

Rick Rood

Rick Rood has been on the front lines of Education for nearly 30 years, working directly with children and front-line staff.  With degrees in Education, Afterschool Care, and Applied Mathematics, Rick is a student of the thought leader movement, distilling lessons from master teachers like Jack Canfield, Tony Robbins, and Brendon Burchard – giving them practical application to education professionals.  Participants have described his workshops as “fascinating” and “life-changing.”

Rick is a classroom teacher, and in the past he has run afterschool programs, taught music, computer programming, and youth leadership workshops.  Rick is a contributor to “Youth Today!” and is the author of “Games Teachers Play Before the Bell Rings”.  Rick is a Certified High Performance Coach^TM and works privately and in groups with education professionals to help them achieve higher levels of performance in their work and personal lives.

Rick is the driving force behind Transforming Teachers, Transforming Education, an organization rooted in the Positive Youth Development philosophy dedicated to training and inspiring youth-serving professionals.  Through Transforming Teachers, Rick has delivered workshops and keynotes to thousands of education professionals, helping teachers transform their “inner game” of teaching to better serve youth, children, and families.

Rick and his team created the Beyond School Time Conference for Out-of-School-Time Professionals in 2018 as a way for California’s OST Professionals to connect, learn, and gather inspiration.

Phyllis Unebasami

Phyllis Unebasami is a retired state deputy superintendent for the State of Hawaii and currently supports educational partnerships throughout Hawaii at the policy and point of implementation levels.   As a 40+ educational leader and teacher at all levels, she has been a principal, special education teacher, literacy director, and professional development designer and trainer for leaders and educators for K-12 private and public schools.   Phyllis has a B.Ed. in early childhood/elementary education, MS in special education and educational administration, and MA in Global Leadership.   

Her work spans beyond education into the community through her participation on community boards, such as Hawaii Association of Secondary School Administrators (state chapter of NASSP), Delta Kappa Gamma (Hawaii’s Mu Chapter) for women educators, and Feeding Hawaii Together/The Pantry, a Hawaii-based food distribution non-profit providing nutritious food to individual vulnerable to hunger.