About Guardian SmartCare

Catherine L. Barnes is an award-winning educational leader, coach, and consultant with more than 30 years of experience serving K–12 schools as a teacher, principal, district administrator, consultant, and professional development facilitator. Her work spans student wellness strategy, leadership development, school culture, counseling-informed practices, equity, community partnership building, and the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies, including AI policy and leadership applications.

As Founder and President of Sudden Impact Solutions, Catherine Barnes partners with school districts, organizations, and leadership teams to strengthen relational health, emotional intelligence, and sustainable systems that support both student success and staff well-being. Her approach blends research-based practices, trauma-informed frameworks, and practical implementation strategies to help schools move from burnout and fragmentation toward clarity, connection, and long-term impact.

Catherine Barnes holds a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and is a certified Relational Intelligence and Mental Health First Aid trainer. She is currently pursuing advanced clinical mental health counseling training and is deeply committed to advancing whole-school and executive wellness models that honor students, educators, leaders, and the communities they serve.

Gene Olsen is an educational leader with more than 20 years of experience focused on building innovative, community-centered pathways for student success. His career reflects a deep commitment to bridging the gap between potential and opportunity through district leadership, special education oversight, and postsecondary readiness initiatives.

He currently serves as Director of College, Career, and Persistence at KIPP New Orleans, where he leads the KIPP Forward initiative. In this role, Gene Olsen works to remove barriers to postsecondary success by leveraging data-informed advising, strengthening college match strategies, and supporting long-term alumni persistence and career readiness.

Gene Olsen brings extensive expertise in strategic leadership, grant management, and district-wide academic transitions, along with decades of experience in special education advocacy, IDEA compliance, behavioral supports, and inclusive program development. He has also led organizational equity initiatives and served on state-level task forces and board committees shaping education policy and governance.

Prudence Minton is a professional learning designer and leadership coach who specializes in supporting educational leaders through high-impact professional learning and executive coaching. She partners with school districts and state education agencies across the country to strengthen leadership practices that directly influence instructional quality and student outcomes.

Prudence Minton designs and facilitates customized professional learning, provides executive coaching for district and school-based leaders, and supports systems-level implementation of high-quality curriculum. Her work centers on developing reflective, adaptive leaders and building coherent, sustainable systems that advance teaching and learning.

In addition to her work in K–12 education, Prudence Minton serves as a facilitator and strategic planner for international meditation retreats and leads executive mastermind sessions with global leaders through World Leaders in Data and AI. Previously, she co-founded and served as Chief Academic Officer of a PreK–12 charter school network in Newark, New Jersey, and later worked as a principal mentor for the state of New Jersey, supporting emerging school leaders through leadership simulations and applied research.

Gordon Knopp is an experienced executive, educator, and technology leader based in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with a career spanning K–12 education, higher education, and large-scale technology leadership. He is known for building balanced, practical strategies that strengthen organizations, modernize systems, and improve alignment across leadership teams.

Gordon Knopp has held senior roles including Chief Technology Officer for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and State CIO and Director for the Wyoming Department of Enterprise Technology Services, where he led major technology transformations, managed multimillion-dollar budgets, and implemented operational best practices. In education, he served as Director of Technology and CIO for Laramie County School District #1, championing curriculum development, instructional coaching, and district-wide technology integration.

As an educator, Gordon Knopp has taught mathematics and computer science at Grand Canyon University, Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne Central High School, and Evanston High School. He has also worked as an independent consultant advising organizations such as Microsoft, Dell, and Pearson Education. Gordon Knopp holds advanced degrees in administration and leadership, mathematics, and technology, and remains actively engaged in professional organizations focused on education, leadership, and innovation.

Michael Browning brings more than 30 years of experience in education and over 24 years of administrative leadership dedicated to creating safer, healthier, and more connected school communities. His career reflects a deep commitment to student wellness, peer support systems, and practical strategies that empower students to support one another in meaningful ways.

With a background in psychology and special education, Michael Browning has served in various leadership capacities where he championed innovative student wellness initiatives. He is particularly known for his work with Hope Squads and peer-to-peer support programs that train students to recognize warning signs, provide compassionate support, and connect peers to trusted adults and resources when needed.

Throughout his career, Michael Browning has worked directly with school administrators, counselors, teachers, and students to implement evidence-based wellness frameworks that prioritize early intervention, relationship building, and community connection. His approach emphasizes practical implementation, sustainable systems, and the belief that students are among the most powerful resources schools have in supporting mental health and preventing crises.

Michael Browning continues to advocate for student-centered wellness models that honor the voices, experiences, and leadership potential of young people while ensuring schools have the tools, training, and support they need to build cultures of care, connection, and resilience.

Britnee L. Weatherspoon is a nationally recognized school wellness leader, public health educator, and prevention strategist with more than a decade of experience advancing student wellbeing, health equity, and whole-child initiatives across K-12 education, higher education, healthcare, and community systems. Her expertise includes trauma-informed education, social-emotional learning, mental health promotion, physical activity, and inclusive school wellness policy development.

Britnee L. Weatherspoon currently serves in senior leadership roles spanning academic instruction, prevention programming, and national training initiatives, including her work as a National Cadre Trainer for the Dove Self-Esteem Project. Her career reflects a strong track record of partnering with school districts, state education agencies, nonprofits, and healthcare organizations to design and implement evidence-based, sustainable wellness programs that support both students and educators.

Britnee L. Weatherspoon holds a Doctor of Education in Health and Physical Activity and is a sought-after advisor, speaker, and board member, known for her strategic insight, collaborative leadership style, and deep commitment to creating safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments where all students can thrive.