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Meet the Team
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Naomi and David Geffen

Global Directorate

David & Naomi are Co-Founders of Loving Classroom. They were both educated in the UK and now reside in Israel, where Loving Classroom originated.

 

David was the founder of Common Denominator in Israel, set up to enable educators and psychologists from diverse religious, political, and social backgrounds to work together to help cultivate the intellectual understanding, emotional feelings and practical living of the ways of peace and unity.

Naomi is a qualified Lawyer and Child Advocate - researching and applying effective special educational techniques for children with learning disabilities, advocating on their behalf within and outside the educational system.

David & Naomi have developed Loving Classroom resources over many years - initially by running workshops on conflict resolution, which led to the realisation that delivering Positive Relationship Education in schools serves as early intervention and prevention of conflict in all its aspects.

Loving Classroom was thus born - a bespoke programme, offering the best possible guidance for school students by training their staff.

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David Thrilling

UK Chief Operating Officer

David has a background as Director of Operations in various industry sectors, and several years as Head of Training at Citigroup Credit Risk Department.

David has also spent the past 15 years volunteering within grassroots football where his passion is coaching, mentoring and youth development. He also supports a Sports Charity as Co-ordinator of a community sports facility.

His aspiration to make a positive difference to the young generation led him to take up the position of COO at Loving Classroom UK. 

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Walter Mbayi

Kenya Director

Walter is an education professional pursuing a Masters degree in Consulting from the University of East London.

 

Walter has over 8 years experience in leadership, designing, managing and implementing education programmes - in the Horn of African region. 

He previously worked as the Director for the Foundation and Languages Institute at City University in Somalia, Managing Partner at Hughes and Stratton Consulting, communications lecturer and a consummate researcher in Philosophy and Ethics.

From the day Walter was introduced to the Loving World programmes in 2021, his life goal has been to work in schools, communities and nations fostering positive relationships and realigning societies towards Loving Classroom's eight virtues.

His leadership focus areas include strategic planning and people mentorship.

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Dov Solomons

Global CEO

Dov has over 30 years experience as a cross-culturalist, business mentor and owner of Global Businesses across multiple sectors.

Formerly co-founder & CEO of Culture Smart Consulting, Dov is now Global CEO for Loving Classroom and has been instrumental in its success thus far.

Having developed a Roots Programme in Israel which has been subsequently adopted within the school curriculum since 1987, Dov can also point to varied experience as a university lecturer, writer, broadcaster, and cross-cultural advisor to the British Olympic Committee.

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Yingge Xu

Ireland Director

Yingge Xu is an art teacher, oriental brush practitioner and positive relationship promotor. Yingge grew up in an "Honoured Education Family" with four generations, including her, who have devoted themselves to education.

Yingge practiced calligraphy, meditation and Tai Qi with her father, and later continued her studies with teachers from China and Japan.

She had the fortunate opportunity to bring mindful art practices into a local Steiner school in 2021.

With great honour, in early 2022 Yingge joined the Loving Classroom team and is dedicated to promoting positive relationship education amongst local families, as well as introducing it to schools and communities.

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Thulani Makhoba

South Africa Director

Thulani was born in 1979 in Soweto, the youngest of four and raised by a single mother in Devland, the first settlement built by the new democratic government under the Reconstruction and Development Program (RDP). He has qualifications in Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU), Good Clinical Practice regarding HIV and AIDS, and certificates from the Assessment College of Africa Assessors, Moderations, Project Management, Trainer Training and BMT Diploma of Project Management.  

Thulani was employed as a field worker for the Ikusasalethu Youth Program for orphans and vulnerable children, as camp counsellor and then director and project coordinator of Camp Sizanani, a life skills camp (and project of HIVSA). In 2004 he was promoted to program manager for all HIVSA child and adolescent programs (Camp Sizanani, Areiketsetse le Bana, Dlala Ukhule and Future Footprint). In 2015, he was selected by UNICEF to be part of a task team that formulated children’s rights and child participation.

He then became part of a team for Save the Children Norway/Zimbabwe and managed a program helping children affected and Infected by HIV and AIDS in South Africa and Zimbabwe. In 2012, ThulaniI moved to Footprint Hospice as a facilitator, training and teaching nursing and also carried out assessment and moderation for student nurses at the Hospice.

By 2016, Thulani's skill-set, experience and motivation brought him to his present visionary position as co-founder and Director of Loving Classroom South Africa, helping teachers and students cultivate a lifetime of healthy, good relationships. Thulani was successful in obtaining the Gauteng Dept. of Education's agreement to pilot Loving Classroom in key Soweto schools. To date 40,000 students have engaged with the program, and independent evaluations of its efficacy have shown significant reductions in violence, bullying, racism and other negative behaviours, whilst correspondingly enhanced cooperation and academic achievement.

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Sir Anthony Seldon

UK Director

Anthony has been Head of two schools - Brighton College (1997 - 2005) and Wellington College (2006 - 2015), then becoming Vice Chancellor of University of Buckingham (2015 - 2020).

He introduced Happiness and Wellbeing at both Wellington College and University of Buckingham.

In 2011, Anthony co-founded Action for Happiness and is currently Honorary President of IPEN (International Positive Education Network).

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Pilot Programme

San Diego, California

Pilot Programme : San Diego, California

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Netanel Semrik

Israel Director

Netanel Semrik, publisher & founder of Contento Now (International Publishing House), a firm that accompanies some of Israel's most prominent and leading figures in their publishing journey, as well as publishing the stories of people from all over the world in digital platforms, radio, television, and the printed media.

 

Author of 7 books,  published  international best sellers in English, Hebrew, Chinese, German and Arabic.

 

Anchorman and chief editor of special audio TV show in Israel radio, hosting top Israeli figures. Married with 3 children.

 

And now, delighted to join Loving World and direct Israel's "Kita Ohevet", introducing the Loving Classroom curriculum to the Israeli education system and diverse sectors of Israeli society.

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