Building bright habits for a digital world.

Jim Festante

Executive Director

Jim founded Health-e-Habits to promote thoughtful technology and gaming use, emphasizing informed decision-making and community building. He spent over 20 years in media production, first as a video journalist covering technology and gaming for Slate/The Washington Post, then in marketing for the industries that build the engagement loops, so he knows how they work from both sides. Jim doesn’t just say that screens are addictive; he shows you how the trick works so you can break the spell.

Jim’s digital journey began designing websites when the commercial web was still in its infancy. His work spanned industries, with clients like Ford, Merrill Lynch, and Conde Nast. He soon transitioned into online entertainment, producing content for MTV, NBC, and Comedy Central before moving into journalism at Slate Magazine/The Washington Post, where he created video content surrounding gaming and technology while helping launch Slate’s video department and official YouTube channel.

Since 2008, Jim has shaped the marketing landscape for video games, leading creative campaigns in television, online, and social media for major publishers including Xbox, Sony, and Nintendo, as well as global sensations like Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft. He also consults creatively for entertainment studios including Pixar, Disney, and Sundance, writes comic books for publishers Dark Horse and Image, as well as video game-adjacent books for Insight Editions.

Jim has always been deeply invested in supporting young people. Before becoming a parent, he taught acting and improv in NYC and Hollywood. Now, he mentors through programs like Crisis Text Line and Big Brothers Big Sisters while coaching youth soccer and baseball. He is a member of NAMLE (National Association for Media Literacy Education) and UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy Alliance, and serves as a Subject Matter Expert (Video Games) for Common Sense Media, furthering his commitment to guiding the next generation.

Jim’s experience in gaming, journalism, and digital marketing has given him a 360-degree view of technology’s influence; founding Health-e-Habits was the natural next step in helping families make sense of it.

Carla Houston

Cultural & Language Outreach Consultant

Carla is a Medically Certified Spanish Interpreter and a member of the Translations Unit at the Los Angeles Unified School District. With nearly a decade of professional experience as a linguist and more than 16 years of volunteer work in local and international settings, she brings deep cultural fluency and a passion for community-building to all she does.

Carla is the co-founder of two local nonprofits focused on civic engagement and volunteerism, and has served on the boards of several organizations rooted in service and equity. Her commitment to bilingual advocacy extends to her creative life as well. Under the stage name Carla Lomelin, she has worked in the fashion and entertainment industries for over 20 years, with credits on The Bold and The Beautiful, Jane The Virgin, and various national campaigns in both the American and Hispanic markets (including Walmart, Verizon, Target, and Nissan).

Her ability to bridge languages, identities, and lived experience makes her a sought-after collaborator for projects at the intersection of education, media, and cultural empowerment. She lives in Koreatown with her husband and son.

Lindsey Hunter Lopez

Curriculum Consultant

Lindsey is a journalist and writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, and other national publications. She primarily covers health, parenting, and family life, bringing an educator’s insight and a reporter’s curiosity to every story.

Before turning to journalism, Lindsey was a high school English teacher and holds a Master’s in Education from New York University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

Shelly Stover

Mental Health Consultant

Shelly is a therapist based in Los Angeles who specializes in working with couples and parents, both in person and virtually across California. Her practice centers on helping clients cultivate balance and connection in their relationships, particularly during the profound identity shifts that come with parenting.

Before becoming a therapist, Shelly spent years as a doula and childbirth educator, experiences that deepened her understanding of the emotional and relational transformation that parenthood brings. She believes the therapeutic relationship is a powerful space for self-reflection, healing, and growth, and that working with parents has a generational ripple effect on their children as well.

Shelly earned her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. She is a Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (#143988) and Registered Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (#15473), currently practicing under the supervision of Aurisha Smolarski, LMFT (#90391). She is also a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C) and has delivered numerous presentations over the past decade on topics related to maternal mental health and reproductive wellness.

Nikole Zivalich

Head of Digital Strategy & Education

Nikole is a veteran of the video game industry with nearly 20 years of experience spanning game development, journalism, live media, and community strategy. She has worked on every stage of production, from pitching and post to writing hundreds of videos about Tetris, with credits across mobile, PC, and console platforms.

Nikole began her career as a teen contributor to GamePro and @Gamer Magazine. In her early 20s, she produced live, interactive gaming content for emerging digital networks like Revision3 and Discovery, which led to her role at the game-focused TV network G4. There, she wrote and produced daily news segments, game reviews, and award-winning podcasts (including Feedback), while also serving as the network’s first Social Media Manager and Strategist.

After G4, Nikole shifted into game development, joining The Odd Gentlemen as a Producer and Community Manager on narrative-driven titles like King’s Quest and Wayward Manor. Her storytelling expertise expanded into television when she joined AMC’s Talking Dead as both an on-air contributor and the voice of the show’s social media presence.

In recent years, she’s partnered with studios such as Stoopid Buddy and IGN, and currently writes and manages Roblox communities, helping shape positive digital spaces for kids and families. She also hosts and produces Won’t You Be My Gamer, a PBS SoCal educational series.