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Malcolm Smith , PHD
Extension Professor, Youth & Family Education and Policy
Dr. Malcolm Smith is one of the nation’s leading authorities on bullying, peer victimization and social emotional learning. A former teacher at the renowned Menninger Clinic, Dr. Smith has been researching issues involved with stopping bullying for over 30 years. He has served as a consultant to over 600 school districts and social service agencies, and presented his ideas and research to thousands of educators and youth service professionals across the nation.
As co-director of the Courage to Care, Dr. Smith’s research is focused on how we can stop meanness in our schools by increasing empathy, caring, compassion and civility among our nation’s young people. Dr. Smith’s work has recently been featured across the nation on National Public Radio, the Huffington Post, and he was recently featured across Asia on South Korean Educational Broadcasting Service. His compassion, caring, and commitment recently won him the University of New Hampshire Social Justice Award.
Rick Alleva , EdD
Extension Field Specialist, Youth & Family
Serves on the UNH Cooperative Extension Youth & Family Team, promoting positive youth and family development efforts in partnership with other UNH faculty, local organizations, coalitions and communities. Helps to identify and address needs of youth and families, targeting outreach to those with limited resources and in greatest need. Works to mobilize both human and material resources to impact positive outcomes for young people, their families and all our communities.
Rick Alleva joined UNH Cooperative Extension in September 2002 as an Extension Educator with 4-H Youth Development. He has provided leadership in youth development programs addressing the needs of young people and their families, including those experiencing significant personal and social challenges.
Thom Linehan , MS, LMFT
Extension Field Specialist, Youth & Family
Thom Linehan is a licensed marriage and family therapist who serves as the Courage to Care team’s family and systems specialist. Thom is actively engaged in insuring that schools that choose the Courage to Care provide opportunities for family learning and celebration, while also insuring ethical and best practice services to all of the Courage to Care family of middle schools throughout the United States.
Thom is known for his commitment to teaching caring and evidenced based methods for improving the lives of children and youth. He has experience in working with educators, after school program leaders, clinical teams and with parents. Thom’s job with Courage to Care is to insure that families understand the importance of reinforcing their children’s social and emotional skills.
Jeff Frigon , MS
Director of Education
Jeff Frigon is one of the nation’s outstanding experiential educators. As part of the Courage to Care Team, he leads the program’s leadership academy by teaching new and exciting ways to improve character strength, civility, caring and courage among young people.
Jeff and his youth leadership skills were recently featured in an hour long documentary on Korean TV.
Jeff has been involved in Adventure-based Experiential Education in a variety of ways. During his career, he has worked in the therapeutic-adventure realm with programs such as Outward Bound as well as in the classroom with the Exeter Alternative High School. Jeff holds a B.S. in Outdoor Education and Psychology from UNH and a M.S. in Experiential Education from the Minnesota State University. . When not at work, Jeff spends as much time on the ocean as possible: surfing, kayaking, and sailing with his wife and dogs. – See more by CLICKING HERE