OUR MISSION
To empower tweens & teens to manage BIG feelings with engaging music, animation and Mood Tools they can use, for FREE, every day.
WHY WE CREATED MOOD
A Mental Health Crisis
Today's teens are in distress, grappling with a spectrum of emotional challenges from anxiety to fear to loneliness. According to the CDC, one in five children is facing, or will face, a significant mental health issue. The Surgeon General has labeled this reality as 'devastating.' Research indicates that the cumulative effect of daily stress plays a significant role. It's critical that we act now to alleviate the daily emotional battles faced by tweens and teens—before it’s too late.
By Teens, For Teens
MEET OUR TEEN AMBASSADORS
Our diverse advisory board of tween and teen ambassadors generates innovative ideas and trending content, helping MOOD reach and connect with as many kids as possible.
Our Team
JANE HOFFMAN
Artist & Mental Health Advocate
MOOD FOUNDER
Jane's inspiration for creating MOOD comes from her personal journey supporting her teenagers through their mental health challenges. During this time, Jane encountered powerful emotional regulation tools that played a crucial role in helping her children and family cope and heal. Through MOOD, Jane is bringing these invaluable tools to a broader audience of adolescents, empowering them to navigate and manage difficult emotions. In addition to leading MOOD, Jane is a visual artist who has been working under the name Jane Maxwell Studio for more than 25 years.
DR. BLAISE AGUIRRE, MD
Michael Hollander, PHD, Endowed Director, McLean Hospital, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
MOOD LEADING PSYCHIATRIST
Dr. Aguirre is a child and adolescent psychiatrist. He has been a staff psychiatrist at McLean Hospital in MA since 2000 and is nationally and internationally recognized for his extensive work in the treatment of adolescent mood and personality disorders. He lectures regularly throughout the world and is the author of many books. He specializes in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) as well as other treatments for borderline personality disorder and associated conditions.
VERONICA (RONNIE) VEHEMENTE, LCSW
Founder, Psychotherapist, The Family Room
MOOD SOCIAL WORKER
Ronnie is the founder of The Family Room www.familyroomla.com, a unique psychotherapy practice, focused on the challenges of parenting, marriage & family life. Ronnie has 30 years of experience counseling children, teens, new mothers, parents, couples and families. She graduated from Columbia University School of Social work. Ronnie brings to Mood her deep understanding of teen psychology to boost Mood content and outreach.
CHARLOTTE DIETZ
Founder, Speakwell Partners
MOOD CREATIVE CONSULTANT
Charlotte is a communications coach and founding partner at SpeakWell Partners. She brings decades of theater performance, professional presentation experience and leadership development to MOOD. Her enthusiasm and keen eye and ear for creative expression makes her an invaluable contributor to all things MOOD.
ANIMESH MANGLIK
TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Animesh is a strategic leader with a passion for leveraging technology to drive social impact.
Animesh is currently the Senior Engineering Manager at Geico. Previously, he worked at Thrive Market, where he developed a host of features to empower users to choose healthier lifestyles. Animesh brings to MOOD, a commitment to building socially responsible tech solutions that improve mental health and wellbeing.
MONTY POWELL
MOOD SINGER / SONGWRITER
Monty is a highly decorated songwriter, earning SESAC’s Songwriter of the Year (2009), The prestigious CMA Triple Play Award (2010), and seven BMI Millionaire Awards. He has penned hits for Tim McGraw, Billy Ray Cyrus, Brooks & Dunn and many more. Additionally, he was a key creative force in establishing Keith Urban’s mega success. Together, he and Urban earned a Golden Globe Award nomination and Critics Choice award nomination for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture. Monty is also an accomplished music producer. He and his co-writing partner Anna Wilson have penned all of MOOD original music!
ANNA WILSON
MOOD SINGER / SONGWRITER
Anna Wilson is a critically acclaimed artist. Her numerous albums have been released to rave reviews and she has been hailed as the ‘queen of the country-jazz duet.’ She has recorded and performed with Grammy award-winning and legendary artists Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Kenny Rogers and many more. She is an award-winning ASCAP songwriter, whose works appear on over 7 million RIAA certified records and composed and recorded the international theme song for Habitat for Humanity, “A House, A Home”. Anna and her co-writing partner Monty Powell pen all of MOOD’s original music!
A letter from our founder
MOOD was inspired by my lived experience.
A passion project born of heartache and hope from my own children's mental health challenges. My journey led to MOOD’s mission, to empower tweens to manage their intense and confusing feelings, with engaging music, animation and proven tools they can use every day.
My family, like so many, fell into the dysfunctional mental health maze, spending months navigating and advocating, while trying to keep our heads above water. The mental health crisis is real. Exorbitant treatment costs, lengthy therapist waiting lists and grossly inadequate insurance coverage.
We were extremely fortunate. We had the resources, time and support to get excellent help. Few are as lucky.
It’s time to deploy creative strategies to chip away at this problem. Throughout our journey we learned about concrete ‘emotional regulation’ skills that were created by psychiatrists for patients in clinical settings. These tools helped turn our lives around (skills we still use today!). Yet, despite being intuitive and quite simple to use, these proven tools aren’t readily known to everyday kids with everyday feelings. Kids need these skills! They have the potential to help manage feelings before they lead to more serious mental health issues.
That’s why MOOD was created. To help kids normalize and neutralize emotions. And feel better. Every day.
Thank you for being here.
All best,
Jane Hoffman
OUR ANIMATION STUDIO
Makematic is a leading global producer of educational video and animated content for both the classroom and informal learning.
OUR BRAND & MARKETING PARTNER
Ink & Icon is a boutique brand and marketing consultancy that leverages decades of big agency experience within a focused, agile team. Serving a diverse clientele ranging from high-profile corporations to dynamic start-ups, they are adept at crafting bespoke branding, go-to-market strategies, and compelling marketing activations that engage and maintain relationships with targeted audiences in the most impactful spaces. Their multi-generational, women-led team offers an extensive range of services encompassing strategy, design, copywriting, illustration, animation, & web design.
inkandicon.com