CEO, HEROES MADE Maria Lavithi Howard is the founder and CEO of Heroes Made, a Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) platform for primary education. With a background in business development and creative writing, Maria studied and worked in the United States before returning to Cyprus a decade ago. Her mission is to offer educators a zero-preparation, comprehensive SEL approach. Heroes Made focuses on making SEL accessible during formative years, enhancing empathy, emotional regulation, social skills, and resilience. This evidence-based approach improves academic performance and addresses bullying prevention, conflict resolution, self-esteem, and stress reduction, fostering a well-rounded educational experience. Maria also mentors with Junior Achievement and IDEAcy, and participates in the Cyprus Entrepreneurship Competition and the Edtech DOHE Accelerator, showcasing her dedication to innovation, leadership, and social responsibility in education.