About Us

Happy and Harmless Global

Meet Kallie, Karena, and Kathy, co-founders and managing partners for Happy & Harmless Global, LLC.

When COVID-19 broke out, we knew masking was the key to limiting spread...and we were faced with the decision of how to safely mask patients in our hospital. The safety risks associated with a traditional facemask were clear: a patient can kill themselves in less than 5 minutes with the ear loops or cut themselves or others with the metal nose clip.

We were left with the impossible choice of handing our patients a means to self-harm or not masking, and therefore not protecting against the spread of COVID-19. The 3 of us began meeting every evening after work to find a solution. Through many iterations and pivots, we developed the PaperSafe mask to eliminate the risk of using the mask as a weapon, cup the face snugly to mitigate spread, and fit comfortably throughout the day.

Founders

Kallie Penchansky

Founder

Kallie began her career as a counselor in the wilderness therapy industry in the desert of South Central Idaho. It was there that she discovered a life-long passion for behavioral health care, emotional healing, and integrating therapeutic thinking in any environment. For the next 2 decades, Kallie developed an in-depth knowledge of healthcare operations in multiple clinical settings, and ultimately found her niche in behavioral health risk management. She is dedicated to the idea that if we are to truly serve our most vulnerable populations - as well as the staff who care for them - solutions must treat the whole person while maintaining operational efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Karena Nielson

Founder

Karena comes from a family of social workers and grew up in a home with many foster children and with her parents taking in multiple homeless families. It was this example that led Karena to the field of social work and acute behavioral health settings. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she has worked with the chronically mentally ill for 15 years. She is motivated to break down stigma and create safe environments for people to get the help that they need.

Kathleen Romero

Founder

Kathleen grew up on army bases in Europe and around the United States, ultimately landing in Tacoma, WA. This is where she watched her mom enter the world of nursing and ultimately followed in her footsteps. It was during her clinical rotation on a psychiatric unit 15 years ago where she found her calling. She is a registered nurse who has dedicated her career to the care of behavioral health patients and their families. She believes that by supporting front line staff we create a trauma informed approach that allows for healing and safety.