Our team is committed to improving the lives of children.
Meet the Team Behind NAPAB
Anna Mendez (she/her)
Executive Director
anna@napab.org
Anna Mendez has served as the Executive Director of the National Association of People Against Bullying for the past 11 years. She is a regular speaker on the topic of bullying and avid advocate of bullying victims and their families. Ms. Mendez authored the anti-bullying book “If These Halls Could Talk – the Daniel Mendez Story”. She has also been honored with an Everyday Hero recognition in Orange County.
Danny Mendez (he/him)
Director, Treasurer
danny@napab.org
Mr. Mendez has over 31 years of real estate and financial management experience as well as experience working with various non-profit organizations. After the death of his only son Daniel Mendez, Danny has devoted much of his life to the education and prevention of bullying amongst youth.
Dezra Anderson (she/her)
Director
dezra@napab.org
Ms. Anderson has over 20 years of corporate and financial management experience. Together with her husband Bryan, they have raised their family in San Clemente California where they espouse the philosophy that children come first. An advocate of children's rights, Ms. Anderson provides regular oversight and direction to the NAPAB organization.
Vitto Mendez (he/him)
Youth Justice Advocate & Global Cool 2 Be Kind Director
Vitto Mendez is a highly dedicated anti-bullying advocate and is considered a leading expert on state anti-bullying laws. He leads NAPAB’s multi-pronged advocacy initiative, which includes advocating for changes in anti-bullying legislation and advocating for students directly with school administrators. He graduated from Stanford University with a Masters Degree in Public Policy and authored a research paper on the effectiveness of state anti-bullying laws that has been published in the Journal of Education & Social Policy. He also served as President of the San Clemente Cool 2 Be Kind club for 3 years. The club was founded by several of his brother's friends after his bullying-related death in 2009, and Vitto was determined to continue its initiative. Vitto helps students and teachers start Cool 2 Be Kind chapters at schools around the world to become effective anti-bullying advocates in their communities. He has received several awards for this work including the City of San Clemente Human Relations Award and a California State Senate Commendation.
Maria Fernanda Panting (she/her)
Cool 2 Be Kind Program Coordinator
maria@napab.org
Maria Fernanda Panting is a second-year medical student who served as President of the Del Campo School Cool 2 Be Kind chapter in Tegucigalpa, Honduras for three years. She is an advocate for children’s rights in Honduras and founded Salvando Futuros to advocate for vulnerable Honduran children in 2021. She is also the founder of Care with Disabilities, a project that aims to share awareness about disabilities around the world. She continues her dedication to improving the lives of youth as a Cool 2 Be Kind Program Coordinator with NAPAB.
Esther Mafouta March (she/her)
Cool 2 Be Kind Program Coordinator
esther@napab.org
Esther Mafouta March is a senior at Columbia University who served as President of the San Clemente Cool 2 Be Kind Club for two years. Throughout the past few years she has worked with NAPAB in advocating for more comprehensive anti-bullying policies and presented a new anti-bullying bill to a representative of the California state legislature. She will continue her commitment to ensuring all campuses are safe and inclusive for all students regardless of their gender, sexuality, religion, income level, disability status, ethnicity, or race through her work as Cool 2 Be Kind Program Coordinator for the National Association of People Against Bullying.
