Melanie Hempe, RN, BSN, is the founder of ScreenStrong, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping families and schools prevent and reverse childhood screen addiction through science-based education. After her oldest son withdrew from college because of video game addiction, Melanie drew on her nursing training from Emory University and the science of the developing brain to find a better path for her family. What began as a personal crisis became a national movement.

For more than a decade, Melanie has translated neuroscience and child development research into practical strategies that help families prevent the trap of screen addiction—especially from smartphones, social media, video games, and pornography. She teaches that minors need protection, not premature exposure, from technologies designed to capture attention and stimulate the brain’s reward system.

Through ScreenStrong, Melanie provides the education to equip students, empower parents, and partner with educators so they can recognize the risks of addictive technology, set effective boundaries, and protect the real-world experiences children need to develop strong minds and healthy relationships.

Melanie is the creator of the nationally recognized Kids’ Brains & Screenscurriculum and book series and is known for making complex brain science clear, practical, and actionable. Through her speaking, writing, school partnerships, and educator training, she is helping families and schools reclaim childhood from excessive technology and give kids the opportunity to thrive.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and their four adult children.