Board of Directors
Nonprofits First is governed by a Board of Directors made of business and community leaders representing the communities we serve. They are active in fundraising, increasing partnerships, creating opportunities for service and growth, providing advocacy and developing community relationships. They raise awareness of Nonprofits First by identifying venues for marketing and public relations, recruiting new board members, and participating in special events and projects.
Jennifer Sullivan
Chair
Jennifer Sullivan
Jennifer can be reached on LinkedIn.
Katia Saint-Preux
Vice Chair
Katia Saint-Preux
Ms. Saint-Preux manages all volunteer programs at Florida Power & Light Company. She works closely with the company business units to engage employees in meaningful projects. She also works closely with the External Affairs team and non-profits to make an impact. She has been with the company for four years.
She earned her degree in Marketing with a minor in business management from Northern Kentucky University. She is passionate about volunteering and giving back to the communities where we live and work.
Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving nearly 5 million customer accounts or an estimated 10 million people across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL's typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 25 percent lower than the latest national average and, in 2016, was the lowest in Florida among reporting utilities for the seventh year in a row. FPL's service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all utilities nationwide. The company received the top ranking in the southern U.S. among large electric providers, according to the J.D. Power 2016 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM, and was recognized in 2017 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Market Strategies International. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,900 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune's 2017 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com
Katia can be reached on LinkedIn.
Henry Martin
Treasurer
Henry Martin
Henry Martin is a Partner in the audit and assurance practice of CohnReznick, formerly Daszkal Bolton, and has been with the Firm for fifteen years. He oversees audits for privately-held corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Additionally, he oversees Uniform Guidance (OMB Circular A-133), Florida Single Audit Act and employee benefit plan audits for a number of clients. Prior to joining the firm, he served as an in-house accounting manager for a large advertising firm as well as an accountant for a yacht manufacturing and service company.
Henry earned a Master of Science in Accounting from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University. He is active in numerous professional and civic organizations, including the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Henry is a licensed United States Coast Guard Captain and is fluent in Spanish.
Henry can be reached on LinkedIn.
Teresa Miller
Secretary
Teresa Miller
Ms. Miller is currently the Vice President of Human Resources for Garden of Life, a whole food based nutritional supplement company headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Garden of Life’s mission is to Empower Extraordinary Health by providing the highest-quality, USDA Organic, Certified Non-GMO, RAW, whole food nutritional products on the market. Ms. Miller joined Garden of Life in 2005. She is responsible for leading a team in the design, development, and administration of an effective Human Resources function including compensation, benefits, staffing and recruitment, training and development, employee relations and HR policies. She also manages and leads the companywide Wellness initiative. Prior to joining Garden of Life, Ms. Miller served as the Human Resource Service Center Manager for Union Safe Deposit Bank in California. There she led teams in the areas of benefits & compensation, recruitment & selection, employment, employee relations and HR technology.
Ms. Miller earned her Bachelor Degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and is certified by the Society for Human Resource Management and the HR Certification Institute as a Professional in Human Resources. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Human Resource Association of Palm Beach County.
Ms. Miller has served on numerous boards and committees including the American Cancer Society, Cattle Baron’s Ball San Joaquin, CA and Team Recruitment Member, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer; Hispanic Human Resources Council, Fundraising Committee Member; Consumer Credit Counseling Service – Palm Beach County Board Member; Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, Chairperson, Business Support Sub-Committee; and, the San Joaquin Human Resources Association Board Member, VP, Professional Development
Teresa can be reached on LinkedIn.
Gina Ardillo, CPA
Board Member
Gina Ardillo, CPA
Ms. Ardillo has seven years of tax experience concentrating in services to the not-for-profit sector. She serves healthcare organizations, colleges and universities, private foundations, and various other not-for-profit organizations.
Ms. Ardillo manages a significant portion of Crowe’s not-for-profit client base in Florida, as well as other not-for-profit organizations across the country. In addition to being well-versed in the IRS Forms 990, 990-T, 990-PF, and related state forms, Ms. Ardillo corresponds with the IRS and state taxing authorities on behalf of her clients. Ms. Ardillo also provides consulting services related to issues affecting not-for-profit organizations, which includes the performance of research and the writing of memorandums, and is currently assisting her clients in navigating the issues of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that are relevant to not-for-profit organizations. Ms. Ardillo has presented educational seminars on topics specific to not-for-profit organizations, both internally for her colleagues and externally for local organizations.
Ms. Ardillo is a member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants (OSCPA), and Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA). A graduate of Ohio State University, Ms. Ardillo is a Certified Public Accountant in Ohio and Florida.
Janice Brunson
Board Member
Janice Brunson
Janice Brunson is a Commercial Lender with Valley Bank, a financial institution with over 91 years of experience. Valley Bank has 41 branches in Florida with the Regional headquarters located in West Palm Beach. Janice is a Florida native and has been in commercial banking in Palm Beach County for more than 20 years. She is an Alumni of Leadership Palm Beach County, a member of CREW/Treasure Coast, and volunteers her time to the ARC of Palm Beach County. Janice currently serves as a Trustee of the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches.
Checree Bryant
Board Member
Checree Bryant
With a robust background in leadership coaching, organizational
development, and behavioral consulting, Checree Bryant is a
distinguished professional celebrated for her transformative impact across various sectors. Her diverse experiences have cultivated a unique and innovative approach to enhancing leadership. Checree is the visionary behind Actuate Consulting, a forward-thinking enterprise, dedicated to elevating organizational performance through executive and team coaching. Checree, known affectionately by her clients as "The Transformer," holds a Master's degree in Organizational Leadership and is a certified DISC Behavioral Consultant through the renowned John Maxwell Team. Her dedication to continuous learning supports her dynamic coaching methods, which utilize exclusive resources to maximize leadership performance and organizational success. As a board member for Nonprofits First and a distinguished member of the Leadership Palm Beach County class of 2023, Checree plays a
pivotal role in advancing both community and corporate leadership initiatives. Her personal passion for
whitewater rafting showcases the resilience and adventurous spirit she infuses into her engaging and
motivational training sessions.
Peter Cruise
Board Member
Peter Cruise
PETER L. CRUISE, Ph.D. is an Affiliate Associate Professor and Founding Executive Director of the LeRoy Collins Public Ethics Academy at Florida Atlantic University. Both his academic and professional careers have been focused on improving the ethical climate in public sector programs and organizations. Since graduating with his Ph.D. in Public Administration from FAU in 1995, he taught ethics and organizational behavior in both undergraduate and graduate students in universities such as California State University-Chico, Golden Gate University, Louisiana State University and Mary Baldwin University. Before beginning his academic life, his professional career started in West Palm Beach in the early 1980s, working at St. Mary’s Hospital, and the Palm Beach Blood Bank, and later at Martin Memorial Hospital in Stuart. In addition to many published articles, he is the co-editor of the Handbook of Organization Theory and Management: The Philosophical Approach (2nd Edition, 2006). In April 2015, he was selected by the faculty the College of Design and Social Inquiry at Florida Atlantic University as a Distinguished Alumnus. In March 2018, he was appointed Palm Beach County Ethics Commissioner. In April 2024, he was appointed by the Mayor and City Commission to the City of West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority. He currently serves on Boards of Directors for the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, the Palm Beach County Medical Society’s Council of Ethical & Judicial Affairs, and Leadership Palm Beach County.
Troy Harrington
Board Member
Troy Harrington
Troy Harrington is the Director of Consumer Lending at iThink Financial Credit Union, one of the nation's largest credit unions with 22 branches in Florida and Georgia. With more than 15 years in senior positions in the banking industry, Troy is a leader in strategic business management, trend and data analysis, and project management.
A member of Phi Theta Kappa, Troy earned a BSBA from Touro University and an MBA in Finance from TUI University. Troy has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Springs at Boynton Beach Community Association. During his previous board service at Nonprofits First, Troy served as Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee and was instrumental in the organization's relocation from Boynton Beach.
Troy may be reached on LinkedIn.
Stephen Johnson
Board Member
Stephen L. Johnson
Stephen is AVP Administration and Marketing for the iTHINK Financial Credit Union and the Foundation Director for the iTHINK Community Foundation. Stephen has been working with credit unions since 1992. He has worked at different levels of the credit union industry starting his career with the second largest credit union in New Mexico where he also served as Branch Manager and Loan Officer, to a Credit Union League where he gained vast knowledge of financial services. His passion for the credit union industry is centered around their “People Helping People” philosophy. Stephen has a B.S. in Psychology from Arizona State University and an MBA in Marketing & Operations from Florida Atlantic University. He also holds a Certified Professional designation with the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and recently received an Artificial Intelligence certification from UC Berkley. He enjoys traveling, cooking, and baking. Stephen is able to bring a unique perspective to the consumer experience as an active member of the community and as a credit union professional.
Mark Montgomery
Board Member
Mark Montgomery
Mark Montgomery advises successful families about their complex personal risk and designs and manages risk management programs to mitigate and protect against loss. Mark has 25 years of insurance expertise, 14 of which have been specifically focused on the property and liability risk management needs of affluent families in Palm Beach. Mark has been very involved in Palm Beach non-profits having served on boards or committees of Foundcare, Community Chest, and Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adults, Food for the Poor, Boy Scouts of America, Place of Hope and the Community Partnership Group.
Additionally, Mark is a past President of the Palm Beach County Estate Planning Council. Montgomery earned his MBA and undergraduate degrees from Stetson University. Formerly, he was a Vice President at Marsh Private Client Services and Director at Frank Crystal & Company.
Mark may be reached on LinkedIn.
Melissa Morley
Board Member
Melissa Morley
Melissa Morley is a Senior Benefits Consultant, a role in which she will spearhead and direct our private and public clients strategic benefit programming and budget planning as it relates to the Client’s employee benefits program, make recommendations as necessary and provide guidance regarding compliance with State and Federal legislation. She conducts meetings and presentations with decision makers and executive staff for the employee benefits program, insurance committees and Board meetings. Her role also manages the RFP and Open Enrollment planning calendar and provides invaluable ERISA guidance for clients.
EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION
Masters in Education – Springfield College, Springfield, MA
Bachelor of Arts in Economics – Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY
Melissa is an experienced employee benefits professional with 20 years of experience in the Human Resources and Benefits industry. During her career, she has worked in multiple roles with large and small private and public employers allowing her the unique opportunity to gain an understanding of the client perspective from different vantage points. Melissa has 17 years working specifically on the broker side in large group space analyzing benefit plans, funding arrangements and insurance carrier data, researching and developing employer tools for comparing programs and managing open enrollments, benefit fairs and wellness programs.
Her communication skills and industry knowledge foster a dynamic relationship with both clients and carriers. Her background in teaching enhances her collaborative spirit that helps create and maintain interpersonal relationships between RSC/Gehring Group, our clients and their employees. She has been instrumental in developing strategies that include various funding arrangements based on client objectives with consideration of the insurance marketplace, budget parameters, benchmarking and legislative compliance.
John Muller
Board Member
John Muller
John Muller leads all Sales/Market Development, Talent Acquisition/Management/Strategy and People Operation for Gehring Group and Bentek. John is also a certified True Colors facilitator and provides learning sessions to Gehring Group clients.
John has a strong background both in Talent Acquisition and Retention as well as in performing the development work needed to improve HR programs and personnel policies. Since joining Gehring Group and Bentek, John led many new initiatives that helped transform the Companies' talent, reduce turnover, increase diversity, and improve morale, wellness, and engagement. He plays a key role in Gehring Group and Bentek's award-winning culture, recently recognized by Florida Trend's Best Companies to Work For, placing 5th among mid-size companies.
John served as an executive recruiter as well as leading recruiting and HR teams for Federal and local government agencies. in 2009, John was hired into an office established by the President within the U.S. Department of State charged with hiring professionals in diplomatic services, IT, Education, Finance and other key civilian advisory roles to work in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was highly successful in accomplishing the goals set for this difficult task and then identified as a strong HR leader to support the US Embassy Baghdad's mission in Iraq. John volunteered to serve in Iraq for the period of one year introducing important and valued improvements to the office of the Human Resources at US Embassy Baghdad.
John earned a Bachelor's in Business Administration majoring in Business Management and Organizational Development from the University of Miami and a MBA from Florida Atlantic University. He holds his SPHR and SHRM-SCP as well as becoming a certified Predictive Index Analyst. John is also an active member of SHRM, and its local Chapter (PBC SHRM) as Program/Certifications Director, as well as serving as Chair of the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (CIAB) HR working group.
Deana Pizzo
Board Member
Deana Pizzo
Deana may be reached on LinkedIn.
Kenneth Rehns
Board Member
Kenneth Rehns
Ken is a Partner at Ward Damon and the Director of Ward Damon’s Litigation Group. He focuses primarily on business and commercial law, labor and employment litigation, real estate disputes, securities litigation, and complex commercial litigation. He represents several for profit and not for profit companies as outside general counsel. He has built a career representing the interests of individual and corporate clients in a broad range of complex federal and state commercial litigation matters as well as FINRA arbitrations, administrative and government proceedings, labor law matters, and contract and commercial negotiations and disputes.
Before moving to South Florida with his family in 2017, Ken spent nine years as a commercial litigator in New York City, regularly representing clients in high-profile matters around the country. Ken has received recognition as a Rising Star in labor and employment litigation by Super Lawyers Magazine and as a Top Lawyer by Palm Beach Illustrated Magazine.
Ken earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus on Economics from the George Washington University in 2005, graduating with honors, and went on to receive his law degree in 2008 from Syracuse University College of Law, again with honors.
In addition to his work with Nonprofits First, Ken also proudly serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network and as a member of the Board of Advisors of the Boys and Girls Club of Boca Raton.
Ken may be reached on LinkedIn.
Michael Zeff
Board Member
Michael Zeff
Michael Zeff currently serves as Senior Director of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. In this role, Michael leads the sports tourism marketing efforts for Palm Beach County, overseeing initiatives that drive community impact and foster meaningful stakeholder relationships. His leadership has propelled community programming, fundraising, and corporate social responsibility initiatives, making a significant difference in the lives of Palm Beach County residents and enhancing the local sports landscape.
Michael's tenure at the Palm Beach County Sports Commission is marked by numerous accomplishments, including the creation of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission’s annual Back-to-School Football Fun Fest. This event, now a part of Spirit of Giving’s Back to School PBC initiative, is organized in partnership with the Miami Dolphins, Baptist Health, and Spirit of Giving. It provides essential school supplies to children in need and emphasizes the importance of education, physical fitness, and positive life choices in a fun, safe sports environment. His efforts have been instrumental in cultivating new opportunities for youth in the community through sport.
Before his current role, Michael was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Major League Lacrosse's Florida Launch. There, he oversaw sales, marketing, branding, new media, and public relations, significantly increasing sales revenue and brand visibility.
Michael's earlier career includes eleven years as Executive Director of the Palm Beach Challenge, a college baseball spring training event he founded and developed into a nationally recognized collegiate event. Under his leadership, the event generated a consistent seven-figure economic impact for Palm Beach County each year.
Michael holds an MBA in Marketing from Lynn University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Barry University. He is fluent in English and Spanish and is dedicated to promoting inclusion in all his endeavors. Throughout his career, Michael has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing organizational missions and maximizing social responsibility efforts. His innovative approach and strategic thinking have not only achieved results but also made a lasting impact on the communities he serves.
Philip DiComo
Board Member Emeritus
Philip DiComo
Philip DiComo is a shareholder at Nason Yeager. Mr. DiComo serves as outside general counsel to a variety of both commercial and not-for-profit corporations across various industries and tax statuses. He also concentrates his practice in the areas of emerging companies, entertainment and licensing, mergers and acquisitions, and executive employment arrangements.
Mr. DiComo is widely recognized for his vast knowledge in nonprofit governance, policy and practices. In 2014, he earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) professional designation from the Richard D. Irwin Graduate School of The American College. The designation positions him as a leader in the philanthropy sector and qualifies him to help charities achieve financial success and donors to maximize their philanthropic giving.
People are sometimes surprised when they hear Mr. DiComo’s journey to becoming a lawyer. His early career was in media where he worked for nonprofit public television and radio stations for 15 years. Then, while working full-time in broadcasting during the day, he attended law school at night.
A Florida native, Mr. DiComo enjoys simple pleasures like getting up early, sitting outside with his coffee, listening to and watching the birds. He also enjoys reading, working in his yard and is, of course, a fan of all Florida Gator athletics.
Phil DiComo - Shareholder Attorney - Nason, Yeager, Gerson, Harris & Fumero P.A. | LinkedIn
Thank You to Our Hats Off Nonprofit Awards 2024 Sponsors
Cultural Council
Nason Yeager
Jessica Cecere
Capital One
Garden of Life
Crowe
Valley Bank
FAU Schimdt College of Medicine
Citrin Cooperman
Holyfield & Thomas
Keiser University
Velocity Community Credit Union
Terry Liddell
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