Founders

In the summer of 2007, experts in child and adolescent well-being--psychologists, educators, physicians, religious leaders and public health and policy experts--convened at Stanford University to envision a coordinated approach to helping schools, parents and youth develop alternative success models to align with what is known about healthy child development.

In response to this meeting, three attendees--Madeline Levine, Ph.D., Jim Lobdell, M.A., and Denise Pope, Ph.D.--founded Challenge Success, an expansion of the highly successful SOS (Stressed-Out Students) Project at Stanford University. Utilizing the resources of a prominent advisory board of interdisciplinary experts, they created a research-based organization that develops refreshingly practical curriculum, conferences and other programs for parents, schools and youth looking for a healthier and more effective path to success in the 21st century. Their efforts have been met with significant media attention and tremendous public and private support. Each of our founders lectures nationally and internationally on parenting techniques, child development, school reform, and strategies to increase well-being, engagement and integrity.

Madeline Levine, Ph.D., is a psychologist with over 25 years of experience as a clinician, consultant, and educator. Her current New York Times best-selling book, The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage are Creating a Generation of Materialistic and Unhappy Kids (HarperCollins), explores the reasons why teenagers from affluent families are experiencing epidemic rates of emotional distress. Dr. Levine has taught child development classes to graduate students at UCSF Medical Center. She is also the author of two books on child development and the media: Viewing Violence and See No Evil. Dr. Levine lives in Marin County, California with her husband and is the mother of three sons.   Denise Pope, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer at the Stanford University School of Education where she has taught for the past 9 years, specializing in student engagement, curriculum studies, qualitative research methods, and service learning. In 2003, she founded SOS: Stressed-Out Students project, a research and intervention effort to help K-12 schools counter the causes of academic stress. SOS is the pre-cursor to and shapes the mission of Challenge Success. Her book, "Doing School": How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students (Yale University Press, 2001) received the Notable Book in Education by the American School Board Journal, 2001. Dr. Pope is a three-time recipient of the Stanford University School of Education Outstanding Teacher and Mentor Award. She lives in Los Altos, California with her husband and three children.   Jim Lobdell, M.A., is an educational consultant with expertise in curriculum design, school reform, parent education, and youth sports. Mr. Lobdell co-founded Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, widely regarded as the nation’s most innovative publisher of K-12 social studies curriculum. He authored several teaching methodology books, including Bring Learning Alive! Engaging All Learners in the Diverse Classroom and advised school districts nationwide on teacher-training and site-based reform. A former NCAA athlete and high school social studies teacher, Mr. Lobdell currently advises the Positive Coaching Alliance. He lives in Portola Valley, California with his wife and two children.