On Dec. 16, 1989, seven-year-old Leticia Hernandez was abducted from her front yard. When I asked how I could help, my good friend and police officer on the case said to put together a reward fund committee, which I did. That committee included future Baseball Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers.
Thirteen months later, Leticia’s body was recovered and I was determined to prevent future such tragedies. KinderVision was created with input from law enforcement, and in 1995 my wife Nancy joined me. We have dedicated our lives to empowering children and teens to shut out sexual predators. If one child or teen is prevented from becoming a victim, our effort has been worthwhile.
Douglas Sebastian, Founder
Douglas Sebastian created KinderVision in 1990 as the result of the abduction and murder of a seven-year-old girl in Oceanside CA. Research included an extensive interview with a convicted child killer and input from law enforcement on what needed to be included in the programs. Doug determined that the programs needed to be peer to peer and video-based with KVKids Events and TGS Teen PSA Program.
Nancy Sebastian is the Executive Director of the KinderVision Foundation and a former high school guidance counselor and teacher. Honors include being named a Lilly Leadership in Education Fellow and Sagamore of the Wabash by the Governor of Indiana for her work on behalf of youth. Nancy is the creator of The Greatest Save Teen PSA Program, a peer to peer crime prevention program for teens.
Rollie Fingers has been the National Spokesperson for KinderVision since its inception in 1990. Rollie is a 7-time All-Star pitcher, World Series MVP for the Oakland Athletics in 1974 and the American League MVP and AL Cy Young award winner in 1981 with the Milwaukee Brewers. As one of the all time great relief pitchers, Rollie is responsible for the KinderVision motto: “When it comes to kids, The Greatest Save is the one we never have to make.”
Larry Mingledorff has been a key member of the Board of Directors for nine years providing leadership in areas of strategic planning and financial planning. Larry was a Senior Partner with Ernst & Young as SE Area Financial Services Leader and Director of Human Resources retiring after 32 years. A recipient of the Alfred P Sloan Award for Business Excellence. Clients served include the Billy Graham Evangelistic Assoc. and the American Cancer Society.
Tami Speth joined KinderVision in 1998 and is the Program Director for The Greatest Save Teen PSA Program in Alabama. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Purdue University and designed all the related materials that accompany The Greatest Save Teen PSA Program. She is the mother of two teens and the granddaughter of a retired law enforcement officer.
Celia Bobrowsky heads Special Projects after 25 years with Major League Baseball. Starting with the Detroit Tigers in 1993 she helped create the team’s first Community Relations department and became the Director. She joined the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball in 2006 as its first Director of Community Affairs working with 30 Clubs’ community affairs executives. Celia received her M.Ed. in Sports Administration from Wayne State University in Detroit and her B.A. from the University of Connecticut.
Dan Akeley has been part of the KinderVision organization since 2013. Currently, he is the Area Director of The Greatest Save Teen PSA Program for all of Florida. He also conducts KVKids Safety Events throughout the state of Florida. Dan graduated from Miami of Ohio University and worked with youth as a YMCA Professional for 26 years. He retired from the YMCA in 2012 as the CEO of the Huntington, Indiana YMCA.
Patti has been with KinderVision since September 2017. Prior to KinderVision, Patti retired from 25 years as a professional Girl Scout with GSUSA Overseas and the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital. Patti is the proud wife of a military veteran, mother of two and grandmother of three teenagers.
Biggs graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has an M.B.A. in Finance and in Business and has worked in the trust banking field for several national, regional and community banks. She holds the following trust designations: Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA), Certified Corporate Trust Specialist (CCTS), and Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF). Biggs lives with her husband, Jerry, an ophthalmologist, in Jacksonville and is the sister of the late Ashby Sebastian, one of the original founders of KinderVision.
Kathryn Hamel joins KinderVision after 24 years as a law enforcement officer in Southern California which included serving as a Family Crimes Detective. A recognized court expert witness in the areas of domestic violence and sexual assault, Kathryn holds a Doctoral Degree in Public Safety Leadership. She is the wife of a California Chief of Police and the daughter of the late Ashby Sebastian, one of the original founders of KinderVision.
Darrell Miller has been an important contributing member of the Board of Directors since the early 90’s. A strong and tireless advocate for youth, Darrell played baseball professionally for the California Angels. With Major League Baseball Darrell serves as the Director of the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, CA and hold the title of Major League Baseball Vice-President of Youth and Facility Development.
Mike Reagan was a member of the original committee that led to the creation of KinderVision in 1990 and has been a key part of KinderVision ever since. A strong advocate for youth Mike is a television personality, former talk show host and author. He is the adoptive son of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.
The highest distinction and honor of the KinderVision Foundation is the KinderVision Crystal Angel given by the Founder. This is a personal tribute given to those who have rendered a distinguished service to the Foundation and serve as a source of wisdom and inspiration. KinderVision Crystal Angel recipients have distinguished themselves by their loyalty, their leadership, and their vision. Honorees are selected for their contribution to the growth and impact of the work of the KinderVision Foundation in protecting children and teens from those who would harm them. The KinderVision Crystal Angel Award has been given to both men and women since 2000 and is given at the discretion of the Founder. Recipients include:
President Ronald Reagan
Mike Reagan
Dave Armstrong
John Marinez – CA Highway Patrol
Chris McDonough – Oceanside PD
Andy Mars – Liberman Broadcasting
Max Gallardo – LAPD
Lenard Liberman – Liberman Broadcasting
Kevin Hallinan – MLB
Celia Bobrowsky – Detroit Tigers
Bill Kehlbeck – WCBS
Ashby Sebastian
Darrell Miller – CA Angels
Rolllie Fingers – MLB HOF
Rod Carew – MLB HOF
Deb Lowery
Mark Hubbard
Lon Achenbach
Chris Klein – WVEC
Dave Garofalo
Neal Mazier – WSB
Pat Vastano
Joe Carchio
Steve Cohen
Al Holweger
UMass Medical Center
Turner Broadcasting – Ronnie Gunnerson
Sharp Electronics – Bob Scaglione
Tom Adams
Christina O’Reilly – Chicago White Sox
Larry Mingledorff
Sonja Enfinger
Dennis Kuhl – Los Angeles Angels