About Pam

Pam calls herself a “Meaningful Education Advocate”. This combines her work with the Viktor Frankl Institute of America and her blog that challenges our current one-size-fits-all school system. She is deeply concerned about student mental health and wellness. Her years of experience as a market researcher, investor, entrepreneur, financial analyst, mentor, graduate student (at age 56) and parent help guide her writing. She considers her three daughters, ages 21, 22, and 25, to be among her greatest teachers.

Since starting this blog several years ago, her work has taken on new forms as she continues to advocate for meaningful education opportunities for every child. Same mission, multiple approaches–film, community-based initiatives, and resources that highlight the meaning-centered philosophy of renowned psychiatrist Viktor Frankl. 

Pam is interested in the power of film to spark awareness of cultural issues and is committed to creating community-based initiatives that encourage people to take action. To this end, she co-founded Straight Up Impact with producers Kate Cohen and Marisa Polvino of Straight Up Films and co-founded B-Unbound with Elliot Washor of Big Picture Learning. B-Unbound is a platform that facilitates community-based relationships among youth and supportive adults around shared interests. Peer-to-peer support also plays a role.

To further support mental health initiatives, she is executive producing The Friendship Bench with Sealion Films which was inspired by Dr. Dixon Chibanda’s TED talk about how he trains grandmothers to treat depression by sitting on park benches. In addition, she is on the board of Authentic Connections Groups developed by acclaimed researcher Suniya Luthar whose work showed that resilience in children is significantly impacted by the health and well-being of their primary caregivers (usually mothers). Educators and health care workers also have influence and AC Groups foster close, supportive connections to provide them with much-needed support. 

Partnering with Alexander Vesely, Viktor Frankl’s grandson, and Moira Hummel, Pam co-founded The Viktor Frankl Institute of America. She is also Executive Producer of Frankl’s internationally best-selling book, Man’s Search for Meaning (to be released in 2024), as well as co-author of The Inspiring Wisdom of Viktor Frankl: A 21-Day Reflection Book About Meaning (August 2020).

Along with Chef Amar Santana and Ahmed Labbate,  she co-owns Vaca restaurant in Costa Mesa, CA.

Pam graduated from USC in 1981 with a B.S. in Business. She worked as a financial analyst for Bechtel Investments, Inc. before moving into the field of real estate market research. She was a Partner at RCLCo, Inc. and opened their Washington, D.C. office before starting her own consulting firm.