Powering Big Wonder is a community of passionate creatives, researchers, activists, and educators.

Hi, we're the humans behind the scenes of Big Wonder. So glad to meet you!

Minnie Bredouw
Executive Director

Joan Lee
Programs Director

Adriana Crespo
Creative Director

Jaslyn Brown
Product Designer

Marie Hsiao
Social Media Manager

Petula Pascal
Product Developer

Paola Navarrete
Graphic Designer

Jordan Crawford
Board Member

Emily Rapada
Board Member

Sarah Zaner
Board Member

Sonis Prusaitis
Board Member

Dominic Randolph
Founding Advisor

Our Values

HOPE

We maintain hope, even when times are challenging. We know that creating meaningful change in education isn't easy, but we look to small, steady wins to help propel us forward.

DILIGENCE

We aim to be intentional, diligent, and mindful in everything we do. We do our homework, take time to learn, and ask questions when we don't know the answer.

COMMUNITY

We work hand-in-hand with young people in everything we do. We use our craft to build communities, but ultimately, it's about not about us. We're simply amplifiers and advocates.

CURIOSITY

We know we are only a small piece of a much bigger mosaic of landscape of work being done to improve the lives of teens. We approach this work with humility, openess, and ongoing curiosity.

Leadership

Minnie Bredouw, Executive Director

Minnie founded Big Wonder in 2016 (previously Purpose Project) as a way to support and empower young people amidst a mental health crisis. She has worked at the intersection of product design, social impact, and community organizing for the entirety of her career. Recently, she has been researching the science of inspiration and its impact on wellbeing. In her spare time, she teaches or lectures at UC Berkeley, CCA, and the Copenhagen Institute of Design.

Connect with minnie

Joan Lee, Programs Director Purpose Project

As an educator, Joan’s constantly working towards making learning meaningful and fun. Her journey—from teaching middle school in Gallup, NM, to working with out-of-school time programs in Washington, D.C., and conducting research as a Fulbright grantee in Finland—reflects a commitment to create engaging experiences for youth. Now, as the Director of Purpose Project, she’s applying her rich background to help schools, organizations, and youth discover and cultivate their sense of purpose

Connect with JOAN

Adriana Crespo, Creative Director

Adriana is a visual designer dedicated to creating meaningful and impactful work with a multidisciplinary approach. Her talents span illustration, animation, and audiovisual production, where she excels at building vibrant visual worlds. As a former Designmatters Fellow at Art Center College of Design, Adriana honed her ability to merge creativity with social impact. Currently, she works as a Communications Designer for The Dalberg Group and serves as the Creative Director of Big Wonder. She is co-founder of Lo Bueno Colectivo and Llego Films.

Connect with ADRIANA

Expert Advisory

In addition to our core team, we have partnered with some amazing organizations to help us measure our theory of change, develop trauma-informed practices, and iterate when needed. Thank to our research partners over the years that have helped us get here.