Captain Compassion® Press Kit

Andrea Lovanhill

Chief Executive Officer

Andrea Lovanhill is a recognized expert in social-emotional learning, bullying prevention, and creating safe and supportive environments for students. Having experienced bullying firsthand as a child, Andrea brings a deeply personal connection to her work at Committee for Children, where she leads initiatives that support schools in fostering positive learning environments.

As CEO, Andrea leads initiatives that positively impact millions of children annually, guiding the organization’s dedication to helping students develop the life skills they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond. She oversees research-based social-emotional learning programs that equip schools with the tools to help students build healthy relationships, navigate conflicts, and prevent bullying. She also leads the Captain Compassion® campaign, which encourages students to become upstanders and create more safe and welcoming school communities.

A mom of two, Andrea’s personal and professional experiences make her a trusted voice on issues related to bullying, student safety, and social-emotional development. Her work continues to focus on integrating social-emotional learning into education systems to ensure that every child feels secure, respected, and supported in their learning environment.

Andrea’s LinkedIn Profile

As Featured In:

The Wall Street Journal, HuffPost, Good Morning Seattle, Education Week, Authority Magazine, etc.

What Andrea is Available to Discuss:

• The fine line between teasing and bullying—how parents can tell the difference and when to step in
• Recognizing the signs of bullying: actionable tips for parents and schools to spot bullying early and intervene effectively
• How to help children respond if they’re being bullied or if they’re the one doing the bullying—practical strategies for both families and schools
• How school leaders and educators can have tough conversations about bullying with students and create spaces for open dialogue
• Empowering kids to stand up to bullying with fun, research-based tools from CaptainCompassion.org—turning bystanders into upstanders
• The vital role social and emotional skills play in preventing bullying and promoting kindness in schools
• Understanding the long-term impacts of bullying on mental health—and how schools and families can work together to protect children

Tia Kim, PhD

Vice President of Education, Research, and Impact

Dr. Tia Kim is a developmental psychologist, a parent-child relationship expert and a mom of two. She believes in a strong family foundation, open lines of communication and the critical role that parent-child relationships play in healthy child development and well-being.

Dr. Kim began her career in academia but later decided she wanted to see her research in action helping children and youth. Today, she leads Committee for Children’s team of research scientists to develop and evaluate the quality, effectiveness and impact of the organization’s social-emotional learning programs and family engagement work, including the organization’s Captain Compassion® bullying prevention campaign.

Each October, during National Bullying Prevention Month, Dr. Kim speaks with reporters from across the nation to introduce comic book character and bullying prevention superhero Captain Compassion. Like a parental figure, Captain Compassion guides her trusty sidekick Kind Kinder® to activate his upstander power to prevent school-based bullying and create more safe and welcoming communities for everyone. With her experience as a parent, leading researcher and psychologist, Dr. Kim provides families with simple, research-based tips for using the Captain Compassion comics to teach children how to activate their own upstander power, prevent bullying and be the superheroes of their communities.

Dr. Kim received her doctorate in developmental psychology at the University of California, Riverside, and completed three years of post-doctoral training at the National Academic Centers of Excellence in Youth Violence Prevention. Before joining Committee for Children, she served as an assistant professor in human development and family studies at Penn State Brandywine.

Dr. Kim’s LinkedIn Profile

As Featured In:

Parents, ABC News, POPSUGAR, Lifehacker, Care.com, Fatherly, PureWow, Education Week, and more.

Dr. Kim is Available to Discuss:

• The fine line between teasing and bullying—how parents can tell the difference and when to step in
• Recognizing the signs of bullying: actionable tips for parents to spot bullying early and intervene effectively
• How to help children respond if they’re being bullied or if they’re the one doing the bullying—practical strategies for both situations
• How to approach tough conversations about bullying with your kids—without the discomfort
• What parents should do if their child is being bullied or, equally important, if their child is bullying others
• Empowering kids to stand up to bullying with fun, research-based tools from CaptainCompassion.org—turning bystanders into upstanders
• The vital role social and emotional skills play in preventing bullying and promoting kindness in schools
• Understanding the long-term impacts of bullying on mental health—and how parents can help protect their children