About

Mad Hatter Wellness

Equity. Courage. Connection.

Vision: Mad Hatter Wellness envisions a world that provides and promotes equitable health and wellness education for all people.

Mission: Mad Hatter Wellness creates comprehensive sexual health education programming that educates, trains and empowers people with intellectual disabilities and their support systems.

Founded in 2013 by Katie Thune, Mad Hatter Wellness has four programs: The Power of Me, Sexuality for All Abilities, Open Conversations, and Empowered Together.

We are grateful for the mindfulness, breathing and movement practices we’ve learned from Yoga Calm, Move Mindfully, as well as many other teachers.  We honor and appreciate the many breathing and mindfulness practices that come from traditional and ancient practices, such as Yoga which comes from South Asia. 

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Katie Thune

President and Founder, Mad Hatter Wellness LLC

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For over 20 years, Katie has worked with children and adults, both with and without disabilities. Her mission is to help people improve their quality of life and relationships. In her 12 years working as a school teacher in Saint Paul Public Schools, her most rewarding work was helping children reach their fullest potential, whether helping a child join Special Olympics or teaching a student mindfulness techniques to use at home.

Katie Thune has a BA in Health Education, and Special Education K–12, as well as an MA in Education: Developmental Disabilities. In 2013, she founded Mad Hatter Wellness to create comprehensive sexual health education programming that educates, trains, and empowers people with intellectual disabilities. She has extensive experience in curriculum writing, speaking, training and consulting with organizations and school districts across the United States. She has developed curricula and courses on the topics of healthy relationships and comprehensive sexuality education, incorporating mindfulness and social emotional learning activities.

Additionally, Katie started using Yoga Calm in her own life because she knew she needed to breathe and be more centered as a teacher. Since 2007 Katie has been implementing yoga-based interventions and mindfulness for people with disabilities. She received her RYT-200 training through Devanadi Yoga in Minneapolis and Yoga Calm Ⓡ training with 1000 Petals in Saint Paul.

 

Anna Hayek

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Anna is so pleased to be working for Mad Hatter Wellness as an Educator and the Heart of Operations. She has a range of teaching experience, including seven years teaching English Language Learners in elementary and middle school. She is a 200 Hour Certified Yoga Teacher, as well as a Certified Yoga Calm Youth Instructor and is certified to teach K-12 ESL and Spanish. She has participated in the following sexuality education trainings: Foundations: Core Skills Training for Sex Ed, Trauma Informed Approaches to Sex Education, Cultural Responsiveness in Sex Education, BLOOM365 Trusted Adult Ally training and the Our Whole Lives (OWL) curriculum training.  Anna appreciates opportunities to empower people to connect to their breath, body and community. Pleasure and perimenopause are topics Anna especially enjoys discussing. She loves music, mindful movement, time with dear ones and restorative moments in nature.

Kim Rossow

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With over 20 years of experience in sexual health education and 14 years of experience raising children, including a teenager with special needs, Kim has a culmination of personal and professional experience that has created a passion, perspective, and expertise that allows her to support parents and individuals with special needs as they work through the joys and trials of the many facets of sexuality. Kim has her Master of Public Health degree with an emphasis in Community Health Education and a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology. Kim’s work in youth development and sexual health and wellness education has focused on training on topics such as puberty, dating, relationships, consent, intimate partner violence, child abuse, gender identity, and other sexual health topics. Kim is the parent to three beautiful (and very active!) children. Kim’s oldest child has a profound intellectual and developmental disability, which has partially re-shaped her career, her family, and her community. Kim volunteers as the “Minnesota Angelman Syndrome Foundation Champion” to support other MN families recently diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome and has served as her local elementary school’s PTO treasurer for three years. Kim loves being involved in the community, schools, and youth/family serving organizations. In her spare time, Kim enjoys adventures with her family and friends, especially skiing, dancing, theater and travel.