Advisory Council

Dr. Rony Berger

Senior clinical psychologist and a family and child therapist, internationally recognized expert in dealing with the psychological preparation for and aftermath of terrorism and other major disasters, faculty of Emergency Medicine at Ben Gurion University and the Stress, Crisis and Trauma program at Tel Aviv University.

Gavin de Becker

Security specialist and author who has worked for governments, large corporations, and public figures, widely regarded as the Nation’s leading expert on the protection of public figures, author of “The Gift of Fear.”

Dr. Evan Dobelle

Former FBF Board member, lifelong public servant and civic innovator whose career spans diplomacy, higher education, and the private sector, twice elected Mayor of Pittsfield, MA and past President of six universities, known for promoting higher-education investment, public-private partnerships and the "College Ready" model that helps students graduate from high school and college.

Mark Dubois

Mark Dubois has worked tirelessly to mobilize and engage citizens globally for a vibrant future. He is a co-founder of Friends of the River, International Rivers Network and was international coordinator for Earth Day in 1990 and 2000 that involved 200 million people from 184 countries.

Sarah Gager, MBA

Former FBF Board member, Higher Education pioneer, philanthropist, Dean of Students at CT State Community College Naugatuck Valley campus, scholarship specialist and student advocate.

Tom Gruber

Computer scientist, Inventor, and Entrepreneur with a focus on systems for knowledge sharing and collective intelligence. AI pioneer who led the team at Apple that created Siri; known for foundational work in Ontology Engineering, including his widely cited definition of ontologies in the context of Artificial Intelligence.

Teresa Hargrave

Recognized motivational speaker and facilitator largely concentrated on women and leadership; focused on women’s unique and vital contribution to society at all levels of organizations, both for and not for profit.

David Johnson, Ph.D.

Co-Director of the Post Traumatic Stress Center, Clinical psychologist and Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine specializing in the treatment of PTSD.

Fredric Marx, J.D.

Attorney and Specialist in the strategic planning needs of domestic and international businesses and non-profit agencies with four decades of cross-industry and international transaction expertise, independent director for family and owner managed enterprises providing sophisticated business planning experience.

H. Robert Silverstein, M.D.

Board-certified Cardiologist and Educator, Speaker, widely published Writer and Consultant, Founder and Medical Director of the Preventative Medicine Center, Author of “Maximum Healing”, lifetime advocate of wellness and prevention of illness.

Jonah Spear

A former FBF Board member, Jonah has been a dedicated partner in the work of Second Response and Fortunate Blessings Foundation since 2004, bringing two decades of experience in trauma-informed care, experiential facilitation, and somatic education. His contributions span from on-the-ground post-disaster psychosocial support to long-term curriculum development for caregivers and educators working with children affected by trauma.

A former performing artist with stage credits including Stomp, aerial performance with Cirque du Soleil, and a leading role in the independent feature film We Are the Hartmans, Jonah blends creativity with grounded leadership. He is the founder of the long-running Bay Area Pun-Off and the creator of Camp Wonderful, an experiential retreat for adults focused on connection, play, and personal transformation.

Jonah is also a passionate educator of the Wheel of Consent and brings a systems-thinking approach to both organizational development and embodied learning. His work is informed by a lifelong commitment to fostering resilience, coherence, and community in times of crisis and recovery.

Currently based in the Northeast, Jonah serves as Facilities Manager at Rowe Camp and Conference Center, where he applies his love of infrastructure, optimization, and service to a place close to his heart.

John Tindall-Gibson, Ph.D.

Former FBF Board member, School Administrator, past Superintendent of numerous school systems throughout the US, creator of “Real Good Projects” substack newsletter.