Jay Levin is a renowned media pioneer, best known as the founder, former CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of the LA Weekly, which he grew into the largest and most successful urban weekly newspaper in the country. Beyond his media ventures, Jay is a dedicated social entrepreneur, having launched six non-profit organizations focused on areas from poverty and hunger to human rights and, most notably, education with EQuip Our Kids! and The California Social-Emotional Learning Alliance.

With a lifelong passion for human development and educated in a Master's Course in spiritual psychology, Jay formerly also served for two decades as a successful life and executive coach, guiding hundreds of individuals and top executives toward greater well-being and effective leadership. His profound belief is that the essential soft skills of Social and Emotional Learning by whatever name they are called, is the "most potent tool available on the planet" for uplifting humanity. This conclusion stems from his deep understanding of the skills needed to optimally manage our inner lives and relationship in the world. Jay's vision is to empower children with the emotional intelligence and personal life skills needed to navigate life successfully, build healthy relationships, and contribute to a kinder, far more prosperous world. As Jay notes, shown a list of the specific skills, 90% of parents say they want their children to learn them. That’s an enormous market and opportunity to align with.