Empowering Positive Choices & Developing Healthy Brains
The best time to educate young people about high-risk behaviors, like alcohol and drug use, is before they are ever faced with the choice to engage in activities. Backed by neuroscience and powered by the John Fontaine, Jr. Charity, BrainAbouts helps students, caregivers, and school faculty learn about and openly address these difficult topics as a team.
Reach out to learn more about bringing BrainAbouts to your school!
Your School Can Create Change
With BrainAbouts, schools can attain systemic change through the ease of our online learning environment, The Core. The BrainAbouts Core is designed to be a turnkey tool for counselors, a go-to resource for parents, an activity generator for students, a pre-integrated curriculum for teachers, and a statistics tracker for administrators.
The BrainAbouts Model
Meet the BrainAbouts Team
John T. (Jack) and Nancy C. Fontaine
President & Founder, John Fontaine, Jr. Charity
No one knew John, Jr. better than his parents. For 16 years, Jack and Nancy Fontaine watched their firstborn child become a smart, funny, and ambitious young man. His sudden passing was an overwhelming shock that turned their world upside down. To make sure other parents never have to experience the same nightmare, they created a way to honor John’s legacy and help others
René Zamore
Executive Director, John Fontaine, Jr. Charity
Before joining JFJC, Rene spent over 15 years as an executive director in the non-profit sector. All of her professional experiences offer one important commonality: empowering people through awareness and education
Teandra Gordon, PhD, LMFT-S
Chief Education Officer
Teandra Gordon, PhD, is a licensed marriage and family therapist with extensive experience in behavioral health and education, most recently serving as the Vice President of School Based Health at the largest federally qualified health center in Texas. As a former elementary school teacher, she also brings a wealth of knowledge about education and school systems. Dr. Gordon has been invited to deliver testimony to the Texas Senate Select Committee on Violence in Schools and School Security and to the Texas House Committee on Public Health. She has also authored several academic articles and a book on parenting.
Kemonta Jackson
Director of Program Implementation
Kemonta Jackson is from Nashville, TN and joins BrainAbouts as a transplant to Houston, TX. Kemonta (or sometimes called “Keke”, his childhood nickname) earned his Master of Art in Education from Tennessee State University (TSU) and Bachelor of Science from Lane College (LC) and Kentucky Wesleyan College (KWC). Kemonta’s studies include research in health education and sport science.
Xavyance Handfield
Director of Program Expansion
Xav Handfield is a nationally recognized speaker, personal development coach, educator and entrepreneur. His mission is to use his gifts and his voice to inspire and evoke change in the world. He is a native of Miami, Florida, and has been in Houston since September 2012, and is the CEO of the Handfield Group, LLC.
Jasmine Booker
Program Implementation Manager
Jasmine Booker is a dynamic education leader, law student, and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in school systems, leadership development, and instructional coaching. Before joining BrainAbouts, Jasmine served as a high school teacher, school administrator, and founding principal, and most recently led leadership and community development initiatives for the Harris County Department of Education. Throughout her career, she has remained focused on advancing equity, closing opportunity gaps, and building the capacity of educators and school systems to deliver transformational outcomes for students.
Yvonne Nocetti
Executive Assistant, John Fontaine, Jr. Charity
Yvonne has been an experienced executive assistant office manager for 20 years with a demonstrated history of working in corporate and diverse industries.
The JFJC Journey: Reducing Tragic Phone Calls
In 2000, the Fontaine Family received the phone call that is every parent’s worst nightmare. Their oldest son, John, had been in a fatal, alcohol-related car accident. John was just 16. In search of healing, the family made a promise to him. They are committed to doing anything in their power to prevent high-risk behaviors so that far fewer families ever have to experience a tragic phone call.
Today, the John Fontaine Jr. Charity’s mission is to help children and young adults make safer decisions and avoid preventable tragedies. Today, BrainAbouts, the JFJC’s signature program, is reaching thousands of students across the nation.
And thanks to generous donors, the JFJC is able to underwrite the cost of BrainAbouts, so that all schools have access to high-quality, research-based, and consistent prevention programming.
