Free to Be builds confidence in Sonoma County youth, empowering them to make healthy choices in today’s ever-changing culture.
About Us

About FREE TO BE

Free to Be is a non-profit organization that serves Sonoma County youth. We care about the health and
well-being of all youth. With the enormous complexities and impact of social media, our goal is to
promote a strong sense of self-worth in youth, building confidence and supporting their social-
emotional health.

We address the emotional health crisis in our community by partnering with schools and youth-serving
organizations to provide engaging and dynamic programs that build resilience and teach-life skills.

 

OUR STORY

Our program was founded in 1992 to equip teens with life skills to build healthy relationships. We have since adapted our mission; developed and expanded our education materials to address the social-emotional complexities our youth are faced with today.

Free to Be has the proven curricula, the credibility of a 30+ year history, a strong understanding of local needs, and high demand for our programs. We have the vibrant momentum of a group whose mission is grounded in the realities of today’s youth culture.

OUR FOCUS

Built on a foundation of confidence and a strong sense of personal value and worth, Free to Be desires to HELP the youth of Sonoma County through education and support in:

  • Healthy Relationships
  • Emotional Health and Support
  • Life Online
  • Positive Choices

Challenges are here; we are ready to meet them!

Our Team
Leslie Bisbee Jordan

Leslie Bisbee Jordan

Executive Director


Leslie is a professional multi-tasker, balancing her professional work, volunteer work, and the many duties around being a mother of three. Leslie brings 20 years of marketing experience to Free to Be. Leslie also has experience working in non-profit and co-founded a non-profit that supports creativity local children. Leslie was born and raised in Sonoma County and moved back in 2009 to start her family. Leslie is the daughter of Free to Be Founder, Sue Bisbee! Leslie stepped into her new role as Executive Director in Fall 2022 with the excitement and motivation to catapult the organization into the next legacy phase.

Jenean Thom

Jenean Thom

Program Director


Jenean Thom joined Free to Be as Executive Director in April 2017. Jenean has worked with teens for more than 20 years as a high school and junior high vocal music teacher, youth leader, and mentor. Seeing the potential in youth is something that Jenean feels deeply about. She brings a passion for healthy choices and positive self-image for the teens of Sonoma County. Jenean is an energetic, detailed, and enthusiastic leader and is eager to add that to the Free to Be team. She brings with her, experience in program management, teaching, graphic design, communications, and volunteer coordination.

Jenean has been a resident of Santa Rosa since 2007 and in her spare time you can find her on the sports fields cheering on her two sons, riding bikes as a family, and spending time with her husband, Jason.

Aaryn Haworth Lewis

Aaryn Haworth Lewis

Development & Special Events Manager


Aaryn’s journey through corporate event planning, employee benefits, and law has all circled back to a central passion in her life: the youth. As a mother of three, she finds purpose in understanding and supporting the experiences our young ones encounter.

Armed with a degree in Communications and special certifications in grief counseling and abuse recovery, she brings a unique blend of professional expertise to the table. Beyond professional pursuits, she is a devoted mother. Making memories with her children is where she finds true fulfillment.

In her heart, she believes in the power of connection and understanding, whether in the professional
realm or within the walls of her own home. She strives to bring empathy, resilience, and a touch of
creativity to everything she does.

Board of Directors

BRIAN
REED

Treasurer


President and CEO of Summit State Bank

SUE
BISBEE

Secretary


Founder of Free to Be

Janelle
Baker

Board Member


Transformational Coach

sandy
bader

Board Member


Former, Teacher at Cardinal Newman High School

Courtney
Comer

Board Member


Former, Director of Development UCSD Health Sciences

Katherine
Gallagher

Board Member


Executive Director at Gostrategic

Erika
Copenhaver

Board Member


Attorney

Gordon
Dow

Board Member


Retired Dow Pharmaceutical Sciences Founder

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