Founder/CEO

Bio: Maddie Freeman is the Founder and CEO of NoSo November, a digital wellness nonprofit that impacts young people around the world. Maddie was recently listed on the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 List in the Education category at age 23 after graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship from the Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder. As a multifaceted change-maker, she has spearheaded numerous projects in her community from painting a mural, writing a successful suicide prevention petition that garnered 13,000 signatures in 3 days, and hosting mindfulness events for teens in the US and Canada. Maddie is recognized for founding NoSo as a Young Futures Grantee, securing funding backed by Melinda Gates Pivotal Ventures foundation, is a Social Dilemma/LookUp Innovator grant winner, a Young Innovator in Behavioral Health awardee, a multi-year winner of the female founders pitch competition in the New Venture Challenge at CU, and a Youth Fellow at McGill University’s Media, Technology, and Democracy Centre.

Director of Operations

Bio: Lauren Schwaar's professional career has spanned performance sport coaching, higher education, sport-for-development programs, nonprofit data analytics, founding and co-founding tech start-ups, fundraising, and operations management for a wide variety of organizations ranging from social connection nonprofits to boutique consulting firms. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication: Public Relations from Greenville University (Greenville, Illinois) and a Master of Science in Sport Policy, Management, and International Development from the University of Edinburgh (Edinburgh, Scotland). She has lived all over the world and is passionate about learning, developing leaders, and inspiring growth whether working with a basketball team, an organization, or on a new project. She also serves as a faculty member at the University of Oregon teaching Responsible AI for the Lundquist College of Business as of the Fall 2026 term.

Head of Responsible AI & Wellbeing Strategy

Bio: Mariel is a Georgetown-educated lawyer specializing in responsible business practices who previously served as the first junior Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) Associate Attorney at Paul, Weiss, where she helped design and implement ESG programs for a global asset manager and 75+ portfolio companies. Mariel also supported the launch of Columbia Law School’s first Corporate Sustainability & ESG externship program. Mariel is passionate about addressing misaligned profit incentives and root causes of structural harms. Driven by her own experience with mental health and technology, she is on a mission to ensure innovation aligns with human and planetary wellbeing, and to empower the next generation with the wisdom and agency to thrive amidst rapid social and technological transformation. Mariel also holds a certificate in AI Safety Fundamentals from BlueDot Impact and a certificate in Sustainable Capitalism & ESG from the UC Berkeley Law, Business & Society Institute.

Head of Fundraising and Finance

Bio: I am a visionary leader and strategic marketer with more than 15 years of experience, I have excelled in roles demanding innovation, fundraising, and content creation. As the Director of Marketing and Development for a nonprofit, I successfully led campaigns that raised significant funds, directly contributing to our mission’s advancement. My expertise extends to crafting compelling narratives, demonstrated through engaging blogs and social media content that resonate with diverse audiences. Known for my analytical approach and creative problem-solving, I am committed to driving growth, improving processes, and leading teams to exceed expectations at the highest level.

Youth Education & Impact Consultant

Bio: Ariella Neckritz (they/she) is a Youth Education and Impact Consultant with NoSo November. In 2025, they led the redesign of NoSo's school curriculum in partnership with students, educators, funders, and experts to build impactful, age-relevant programming that supports young people's mental health and tech-life balance. Ariella also guides NoSo's outreach to schools and districts nationwide, crafting engagement strategy, pitching programs, and managing partnerships from first contact through implementation. They serve as the primary liaison between school partners and NoSo's youth speakers.

With over a decade of experience in curriculum design, facilitation, youth engagement, leadership development, and training, Ariella has directed national initiatives at organizations including The Representation Project, Jewish Women International, Survivors.org, Michigan Organization on Adolescent Sexual Health, and Stop Sexual Assault in Schools, reaching over 10,000 youth. They received their Bachelor of Arts degree from George Washington University in Women’s Studies and Human Services & Social Justice and serve on the advisory board for the Center for Gender Equitable AI. 

Creative Design Manager

Bio: Ashley is a Chemistry graduate from Gustavus Adolphus College who has been participating in the NoSo November challenge since its inception. Growing up in Littleton, Colorado, and now based in Nashville, Tennessee, she has always found her wellbeing through being outdoors and loving live music. While her academic background is in the analytical world of science, her transition into helping NoSo is driven by a firsthand belief in NoSo’s mission and a passion for mental health advocacy. With a diverse professional history ranging from project management in manufacturing to laboratory research, and even roles in the service industry, Ashley hopes to bring a unique perspective to the team! An extreme social butterfly at heart, she thrives on translating complex ideas into engaging and creative, community driven experiences. Having witnessed the benefits of the NoSo project personally, she is excited to continue supporting its growth.

SF Events Coordinator and AI Program Fellow

Bio: Katia (she/her) holds dual degrees in Education and Psychology from Scripps College. She brings extensive experience in working directly with students, families, school staff, and community members across a range of roles. Before joining NoSo, Katia was the Program Coordinator and Community Engagement Lead for SEEDS, a social-and-emotional learning organization, and has also worked as a social-and-emotional learning specialist, a Teaching Fellow, teaching 6th grade science, and as a mentor and tutor. A throughline across all of her roles has been a dedication to creating spaces where people – especially young people – feel seen, heard, and empowered. She is excited to combine these values with her other passion of advocating for digital wellbeing and digital thriving in her work with NoSo. Besides her work with NoSo, Katia is also a coalition member with Design It For Us, a Youth Squad member with ReThink Citizens, and has lobbied for bills to protect kids online with Common Sense Media.

Social Media Manager

Bio: Payton Johnson is a current high school senior in Chicago with a keen interest for mental health advocacy. As a program lead at Neolth, youth co-creator at Headstream Innovation, and Student Engagement Intern at Clayful Health, Payton has been heavily involved in the promotion of mental health education and resources for youth. As a youth legislative advocate with the YMCA, Payton has advocated for bills that support Illinois youth through mental health support in schools, after school budget appropriations, and inform constituents of the harms of unchecked social media use. Payton is committed to communicating with authenticity and mindfulness, promoting youth inclusion and diverse perspectives within the mental health sphere. She is excited to continue this work at NoSo!