Executive Director
Beth Casarjian, Ph.D. has developed, implemented, and evaluated the impact of asset-based, psychosocial interventions created for adolescent populations including those in residential treatment, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, and homeless and court-involved teen mothers. She is co-author of Lionheart’s Power Source: Taking Charge of Your Life (PS); Power Source Parenting: Growing Up Strong and Raising Healthy Kids (PSP); and EQ2: Empowering Direct Care Staff to Build Trauma-Informed Communities for Youth and a principal contributor to the original version of Goldie Hawn’s school-based mindfulness curriculum, MindUp.
Dr. Casarjian has served as the Clinical Director of The Heritage School Ambulatory Mental Health Clinic a project of Columbia University and the Robinhood Foundation. Along with research partners at NYU and MIT she co-designed and supervised a four-year research project for examining self-regulation with system-involved adolescent parents. She has been an adjunct professor at Teacher’s College, Columbia University and a visiting scholar at the New York University School of Nursing. Dr. Casarjian’s work has been funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). To date, her investigation of the Power Source Program on the adolescent unit of Rikers Island remains the largest US study examining the impact of mindfulness with incarcerated male youth.
Founder & Director of the National Prison Project
Robin Casarjian, M.A. founded The Lionheart Foundation and served as its Executive Director from 1992-2023. Focusing on the passion that inspired her to launch Lionheart, she continues to serve as director of its National Prison Project. Robin is author of Houses of Healing: A Prisoner’s Guide to Inner Power and Freedom, which has been translated into Spanish, Cantonese, and Russian. The transformational Houses of Healing curriculum has impacted hundreds of thousands of incarcerated men and women nationwide. With a major grant from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Robin was the lead investigator on what is the largest examination of the impact of trauma-informed, rehabilitative programming for men and women in solitary confinement.
Robin is also author of Forgiveness: A Bold Choice for a Peaceful Heart (Bantam, 1992) and co-author, with Bethany Casarjian, Ph.D., of Power Source: Taking Charge of Your Life (Lionheart Press, 2003).
Director of Operations and Programs
Jeanne d’Ornellas Thorel, M.S. is Director of Operations and Programs at Lionheart. She joined the organization as a volunteer in 2020 and quickly moved into a Manager role, where she led efforts to expand awareness of Lionheart’s programs. In her current role, she oversees key client relationships, supports organizational systems and operations, and guides program implementation across Lionheart’s initiatives, working to ensure the organization runs smoothly while expanding reach and impact through strategic marketing, outreach, and community engagement.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Jeanne moved to the United States in 2017 and has since returned to her hometown of London, where she works remotely to support Lionheart’s U.S.-based team and ensure its programs reach as many individuals and systems as possible.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Boston University and a master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Northeastern University, and a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropy, and Social Change.
Clinical Director
Jessica Linick, Ph.D., SEP, (Columbia University) is Clinical Director for The Lionheart Foundation. Prior to joining Lionheart, she was the Senior Psychologist with the Bellevue/NYU Juvenile Justice Mental Health Service and a Clinical Assistant Professor with NYU School of Medicine, working to expand trauma-informed care within the NYC secure and non-secure juvenile detention sites. Prior to that, she was a Clinical Supervisor at Rikers Island, New York City’s largest jail complex, serving adults with severe mental illness. She is an author, consultant, trainer, speaker, and teacher, presenting nationally and internationally on topics related to attachment, Trauma Informed Care, criminal justice reform, and the use of mindfulness as an intervention within residential and forensic settings. Jess is also a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP); SE is a resiliency based, body-oriented approach to the healing of trauma and other stress disorders.
Youth Program Manager
Stephanie Wilson, Ph.D. joined Lionheart in 2025 as the Youth Program Manager. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Spanish from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. She then went on to earn an M.S. and Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, VA. Dr. Wilson has worked in numerous settings over the years including large children hospital systems and smaller community mental health clinics providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, evidence-based treatment to underserved, minoritized youth and their families. Her research over the years has explored treatment engagement for underserved youth, particularly in integrated pediatric primary care settings. She has served as an adjunct professor at VCU and has presented at national conferences on topics related to treating underserved youth, engaging Black youth in treatment, and doctoral training for Black trainees.
Operations Specialist
Valerie Thompson serves as Operations Specialist at The Lionheart Foundation, where she brings a meticulous, systems-driven approach to organizational efficiency and resilience. With a background in strategic planning, technical troubleshooting, and workflow optimization, she supports cross-functional teams by refining internal processes, maintaining operational clarity, and ensuring smooth day-to-day execution.
Before joining Lionheart, Valerie supported operations across nonprofit and academic settings, helping teams stay organized and connected through thoughtful coordination and systems support. Her work focused on maintaining clarity, strengthening internal workflows, and contributing to collaborative environments.
At Lionheart, she helps ensure the organization’s trauma-informed work is supported by resilient systems and thoughtful day-to-day coordination.
President of the Board
Wyatt Khosrowshahi joined the Lionheart board after receiving a degree in political science from Williams College. Part of his passion for joining the BOD stems from his interest in issues of systemic inequity in the US. Professionally, he spends his time investing in and supporting startups. He hopes more and more people will ultimately have the opportunity to forge their own fulfilling career paths, and sees Lionheart as embodying that motive.
Wyatt grew up in the suburbs outside New York City, and now resides in Cambridge, MA.
Clerk of the Board
Arlene Schuler is a corporate lawyer who counsels clients in the health care, hi-tech, and real estate industries. Arlene handles a range of business and transactional matters for clients who value high quality work and personal integrity when resolving both immediate and long-term business concerns.
With over 30 years of experience, Arlene is a practical problem solver. She often acts as outside general counsel for executives, business owners and medical and dental practices. She advises clients in connection with daily business matters, contract negotiation and drafting, commercial real estate transactions, acquisitions and sales of medical and dental practices and businesses, intellectual property and technology licensing agreements, entity formation and dissolution, employment agreements and general advice, shareholder agreements and other complex business negotiations.
Arlene was a founding shareholder of Archstone and was formerly an attorney in Boston-area firms. She also served for several years as a Staff Attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Treasurer of the Board
Shelly Jackson is currently the Director of Finance for the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Shelly has over 15 years of non-profit finance experience. She has previously held Director of Finance and Controller positions at several Massachusetts nonprofit organizations. Shelly holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Bridgewater State University , as well as an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University.
Marc Crespi is the former Executive Director of The Lionheart Foundation from 2024 to early 2026. He has a passion for restoring hope to trauma impacted communities and building resilience to enable a happy, productive life for all. As an executive leader in the technology industry, his career spans more than 25 years in product management, strategy, technical alliances, go-to-market leadership, and organizational transformation. His favorite saying: “When we help one, we help all.”
Dr. Diane Huebner Dillon (she/her/hers) is a practicing psychologist with 25 years of clinical, teaching, and leadership experience. A cognitive-biobehavioral (DBT, ACT) and EMDR-certified psychotherapist, Dr. Dillon’s integrative approach to whole health and healing is evidence-based, trauma-informed, and principle-driven. She is passionate about empowering others to create new narratives and learn effective skills to build lives aligned with their deepest values and authentic selves. Well-versed in organizational, cultural, and family psychology, Dr. Dillon helps individuals create and sustain meaningful change amidst systemic forces. She is a long-term student and practitioner of meditation, mindfulness, and recovery.
Varsha Jagannath is a Healthcare Information Technology leader, currently working as the Vice President, Information Technology at Inova Health in Fairfax, VA. Inova Health is Northern Virginia’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider.
Varsha has over twenty-five years of professional experience in Healthcare IT. Prior to joining Inova, she served as Associate Chief Information Officer at Atrius Health (Massachusetts), the largest independent physician-led healthcare organization in the Northeastern U.S. At Atrius Health. Prior to Atrius Health, Varsha was a technology consultant at Biogen in Cambridge MA. Varsha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar University in India, as well as an MBA from Boston University.
Dionne Mills Stewart is a business integration and technology leader with a foundation in technical program management and delivery. As the Director of Business Integration for a large health insurer Dionne uses her expertise to drive the implementation of solutions to realize value for the plan’s accounts, providers, and members.
Early interest in international economics uncovered technology opportunities with large financial services and health care companies. Dionne continues to channel her passion for technology solving real world problems with every occasion.
