What We Do
Growing Minds makes well-being, mental health, and mindfulness concepts relatable and actionable. By focusing on the abilities to pause and ground oneself in the moment, one can create space to savor the good, respond thoughtfully to the challenging, and feel more nourished and content throughout each day.
12
Years of life
Years of life
4000+
Educators trained
Educators trained
taught
6000+ Students
6000+ Students
10 online sessions
available
available
Our team
Meet our team
Susan Solvang
Founder and President
Susan Lubar is the President and Founder of Growing Minds. Susan is a pioneer in bringing mindfulness-based practices to Milwaukee area schools and businesses. Her vision is to facilitate the cultivation of innate skills that increase your own wellbeing and have a more positive impact on your relationships, through self-awareness, compassion and reflection. She has trained with the most established programs, including Mindfulness in Schools Project .b and .b Foundations, Mindful Schools, Learning to Breathe, UCSD Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher training and Mindful Self-Compassion with Kristen Neff to develop the programs that would be useful to Milwaukee area schools.
Becky Fischer
Director of Development and Integration
Becky has been working with children and families in the Milwaukee area for over 15 years. Becky has a heartfelt passion for weaving mindfulness and brain-based concepts into everyday life because she has seen, firsthand, the beautiful power these skills have to strengthen relationships and enhance well-being. Having been a classroom educator, job coach for individuals with special needs, and parenting consultant, she has gained valuable experience and insight across diverse fields within the community. Becky has a bachelor’s degree in Middle Childhood Early Adolescent Education and has trained under Mark Nunberg in Vipassana meditation and under Steve Hickman and Beth Mulligan in Mindful Self-Compassion.
Jennifer Vondracek
Business Development Manager + Instructor
Jennifer has been sharing well-being practices
for over a decade. Her undergraduate and post-graduate work was done at the
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee in the field of Gender and Women’s Studies,
with an emphasis on endocrine health. A lifelong learner, Jennifer has
extensive training in teaching mindfulness for all ages, therapeutic yoga, trauma
sensitive yoga, nonviolent communication, sales and leadership. She has worked
in Health Care, Social Services and Hospitality for over 20 years and has a
passion for sharing skills around trauma-informed care and resilience.
Tiffany Mercer
Executive Assistant
As an executive assistant with 25 years of experience in all areas of office administration, Tiffany has been with Growing Minds since the beginning, managing the behind-the-scenes operations, including scheduling, accounting, and human resources. “I love creating the many graphics we use in our sessions to express our narratives. My favorite mindfulness practice is gratitude, it really keeps me grounded in appreciating the good around me”.
Izzy Solvang
Technology and Social Media Designer
With a degree in Art Education, Izzy has journeyed through a range of positions spreading her passion for expression and healing while exploring how to make a meaningful impact in the world. Teaching high school art in one of the most prestigious art departments in the country, to developing programming for youth rock climbers, as well as digital marketing, Izzy is fully committed at all times.These experiences have coalesced into the opportunity to coordinate the e-learning here, at Growing Minds.
Our Grantors
Our Partners
Our Partners