QUEST
TEAM HERO QUEST
WE AREN'T JUST PROFESSIONALS,
WE ARE ALSO PARENTS.
Dr. Neda Petz, Psy.D.
Founder & Officer of Development
Dr. Neda Petz, Psy.D. is a developmental psychologist specializing in autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and learning differences. She spent years at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Kaiser Permanente learning how kids really connect and grow. Her background in Fine Arts and her Iranian American heritage taught her that the best learning happens when it feels like play, not therapy.
A lifelong Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast and board game lover, Dr. Petz realized that the collaborative storytelling, problem-solving, and teamwork at the heart of tabletop RPGs create natural opportunities for children to practice empathy, communication, and social skills—all while having an absolute blast.
She created The Hero's Quest because she believes every child deserves to feel like the hero of their own story, especially when learning to navigate friendships and social situations.
Johnny Brookbank
Founder & Officer of Operations
Johnny Brookbank is the father of four GUSD students and a 20-year veteran of the commercial video production world, where he’s worked with top-tier clients and honed the art of creative problem-solving, collaborative-communication and detail-driven execution. He also serves as president of The Balcony of LA community nonprofit and as the vice president of the La Crescenta Elementary PTA. In these he utilizes his producer skills as a community organizer and event builder. He is a past member of the Crescenta Valley Town Council and enjoys picking up litter while listening to death metal.
​​
Discovering Dungeons & Dragons later in life, Johnny quickly recognized its real-world benefits: communication, leadership, math skills, public speaking, teamwork, empathy, and strategic planning. The quest was clear: bring this amazing platform to developing minds!​
​
QUEST ON!
Eric Petz
Founder & Chief Creative Officer
Eric Petz co-founded The Hero's Quest alongside his wife, Dr. Neda Petz, and Johnny Brookbank, bringing over 30 years of Dungeons & Dragons expertise to the world of social-emotional learning. His love of D&D began at age 12 when his older siblings handed down their gaming collection before heading to college, though he'd been sneaking into their games and begging to roll dice since elementary school.
Eric has spent three decades primarily as a Game Master, honing his craft through countless campaigns. Eric has personally witnessed the transformative power of tabletop gaming, watching friends and colleagues, especially neurodivergent players with ASD and ADHD, blossom from socially withdrawn individuals into confident communicators.
During The Hero's Quest pilot program, he saw this magic happen with children firsthand as he guided young adventurers through carefully crafted campaigns designed to teach social norms in the safest possible environment: one where mistakes become part of the story and every child gets to be the hero.