HRart of It.2021.Guest Graphic

Parents Please Play with Rona Lewis & Jessica Brustad

Season 2: Episode 9

Where do unicorns come from? Have you ever considered asking one of your employees this question? Well, maybe you should – argue Rona and Jessica as the founder of The Playful Mind Project. Listen in on this passionate soapbox about why we need more play care as professionals. In this episode, we chat about the impact the impact a lack of play is having on working parents. Rona and Jessica share about the much needed, I-Work and We-Work that begins with the practice of play.

About Rona:


As a former C-level advertising sales exec, Rona is a champion of the inner child! She is a Play Instigator and the co-founder/CEO of Playful Mind Project, a company that changes corporate culture to ignite ideas and explode productivity and is a leading expert in play for company employees.

She knows from experience the stress and unpredictability of corporate life and understands how to help individuals bring back that sense of curiosity and wonder that spark innovation and creative thought. She finds that spark within each person and ignites it into a flame.

Rona doesn’t believe in work/life balance. Work is part of life! So how do you balance it all? It’s about taking time to make time work for you. And above all, having an attitude of play that makes life an adventure, not a grind!

About Jessica:


Jessica Brustad is the Co-Founder & Chair-Mom of Playful Mind Project. She’s an experienced sales and project manager who now does improv and stand-up comedy! Jessica earned her stripes in the corporate world early, with managing positions from start-ups in NYC to household names like Myspace. After taking an improv class in Los Angeles, she quickly realized the corporate world was not for her (or maybe the corporate world wasn’t ready for her?). Play had to take center stage.

She continued to pursue her joy, which included studying improv and stand up comedy at Mission Improvable in Los Angeles and The National Comedy Theatre in San Diego. She received her 500 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) through YogaWorks at the Prana Yoga Center in La Jolla, California. She also became a certified Laughter Yoga Leader through the International Laughter Yoga University. These contradictory interests lead her to create her own business: The Funny Yogi. Not funny ha-ha, more funny weird. With The Funny Yogi Jessica started teaching her own classes, leading workplay-shops & seminars, and became a popular motivational speaker. Her passion is to help those suffering find relief by connecting & committing to their joy.

She has worked with individuals struggling with mental health issues like anxiety, OCD and postpartum mood disorders. She has helped companies like Google and Microsoft improve their cultures through her original style and mindfulness programs, as well as transformed communities from California to Norway! Skol!

About Playful Mind Project:


We’re two female play experts who believe that Play is the secret to working better…and living better! Shift happens when you have a playful mind!