Meet the Team
Chanie Brod
Co-Founder, Hart & Hero | Head of Education & Research | Creator of the Hero Mindset Framework
Chanie Brod is the co-founder of Hart & Hero and the creator of the Neshama Powers framework. An ongoing autodidact with a passion for Chassidus, neuropsychology, and child development, she believes learning should not simply be taught—it should be experienced, internalized, and lived.
Inspired by the Lubavitcher Rebbe's vision for children and informed by contemporary research in child development, Chanie developed Neshama Powers to help children see themselves through the lens of their neshama: as inherently valuable, capable of doing hard things, able to make a positive difference, and connected to something greater than themselves. Through meaningful, play-based experiences, the framework helps children develop resilience, kindness, confidence, emotional well-being, and a lifelong sense of purpose.
Chanie studied at the University of London and is the author of several children's books, including Let's Play Dreidel and Goodnight Hashem. She also spent several years writing for Hachayol magazine. As a mother of six, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to everything she creates.
Musya Brod
Co-Founder & CEO, Hart & Hero
Musya Brod is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hart & Hero, where she leads product development, strategic partnerships, and business growth.
With a background in corporate sales, strategy, and business operations, Musya specializes in transforming ideas into products that are intuitive, beautifully designed, and effortless to implement. She is passionate about creating experiences that are polished, practical, and engaging while remaining low-lift for educators and families. Her meticulous attention to detail and commitment to quality ensure every Neshama Powers product is thoughtfully crafted from concept through production.
Musya is passionate about building meaningful relationships with educators, schools, and mission-aligned partners who share the vision of helping children flourish.
Under her leadership, Hart & Hero has been featured in Forbes, received the Parents Best Toy Award (2024), and earned the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award (2025). A former preschool teacher and mother of three, she brings both business expertise and firsthand classroom insight to the company's mission.
Bryna Cohen
Lead Curriculum Creator
Bryna Cohen is the lead curriculum creator behind Neshama Powers and brings more than a decade of experience in early childhood education.
As Curriculum Director at Emery Green Chabad Preschool, Bryna has helped cultivate a thriving learning environment where enrollment has grown significantly under her leadership. Influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach, she designs learning experiences that foster curiosity, creativity, relationships, and joyful exploration.
Bryna is passionate about creating curriculum that feels warm, meaningful, and developmentally appropriate while remaining practical for teachers to implement. Her work reflects a deep belief that children learn best through authentic relationships, purposeful play, and hands-on discovery.
Dr. Calli Studebaker, OTD, OTR/L
Curriculum Consultant | Founder, Confident Kids Therapy
Dr. Calli Studebaker is a clinical occupational therapist and the founder of Confident Kids Therapy. She is dedicated to helping children develop the confidence, independence, and foundational skills they need to thrive at home, in school, and beyond.
Drawing on her expertise in sensory processing, motor development, self-regulation, and daily living skills, Dr. Studebaker collaborated closely with the Neshama Powers team to ensure the curriculum is grounded in child development research and practical classroom application. She also serves as an occupational therapy consultant for Lovevery, bringing evidence-based developmental principles to products used by families around the world.
Esther Kesselman
Curriculum Consultant
Esther Kesselman is a shlucha, educator, life coach, and artist whose work is deeply inspired by the Lubavitcher Rebbe's teachings on the unique potential of every child. Having spent decades attending the Rebbe's farbrengens and studying his teachings, she is passionate about helping children develop a strong sense of identity, purpose, and connection to Hashem.
Esther brings a unique perspective that weaves together Chassidus, education, and creativity. Her guidance helps ensure that Neshama Powers authentically reflects the Rebbe's educational vision while remaining meaningful, engaging, and developmentally appropriate for today's classrooms. She has a particular passion for the Rebbe's teachings on children and the Twelve Pesukim, helping infuse the curriculum with warmth, purpose, and enduring meaning.