BOARD MEMBERS
BOARD MEMBERS
Meet the dynamic team leading GFNF4Kids efforts to ensure every child in our community is protected and has a brighter future to thrive.
DEBBIE BUTLER
President, Board Member
Before retiring to Florida in 2006, Debbie was a Senior Executive of the leadership team for an international startup company which is now valued at over $100 million with 1,400 employees. She has served as President of GFNF4Kids since it’s restructure in 2008. Under her leadership this all volunteer nonprofit organization has: 1) Raised just under $6 million of revenue and in-kind contributions for the benefit of maltreated children and underserved youth; 2) Provided more than 10,000 children with holiday gifts; 3) Hosted 10 child focused educational summits in collaboration with community partners; 4) Built and furnished a home to serve as a soft landing for children coming into care due to maltreatment; 5) Created the Children’s Advocacy Center to serve abused children from St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River and Okeechobee counties.
BRANDON NOBILE
Vice President
Brandon is an accomplished Project Manager with over 10 years of experience in all phases of commercial new construction, renovation, demolition, and site restoration. His construction experience includes estimating, scheduling, project budgeting, contract development, project management, safety coordination, and subcontractor documentation and insurance compliance for a variety of projects.
ERIC GARZA, MHA, LCSW
Board Member
Mr. Gaza is a CEO of Sandy Pines. Eric is at Sandy Pines hospital in Tequesta, Florida. Eric previously served as the CEO for Tykes & Teens. Eric has also had the pleasure of providing mental health services since 2009.
LAUREN HAHN
Treasurer
Ms. Hahn holds an MBA from Florida Atlantic University, and started her career in public accounting before transitioning to the private and non-profit sectors. She is a certified public accountant licensed in the state of Florida for over 20 years and is a long-standing member of the Florida Institute of CPAs. Ms. Hahn has spent the last decade in executive level positions for healthcare and behavioral health organizations in South Florida and the Treasure Coast.
RUTH STROMAK
Secretary
Ms. Stromak is the owner of Treasure Coast Moving and Storage. As a longtime resident and business owner in St. Lucie County she has participated in many projects serving the community and underserved populations. She remains an active advocate for maltreated children and underserved youth. Ruth is one of the six (6) women who started Impact 100 St. Lucie in 2018.
LINDA CHASTAIN
Board Member
Linda Sample Chastain is a native of St. Lucie County, Florida. She was the founding Director of Hope’s Closet for Children, a community project that provides clothing assistance for area children. Recognizing the value of collaborative giving in transforming communities, she was a founding board member of Impact 100 St. Lucie.
Currently Linda is a member of Chapter R P.E.O. and serves as the Coordinator for Grace Packs Inc.’s Peanut Butter Brigade. Grace Packs provides weekly weekend meals for St. Luce County school children. To date the PBB has collected more than 5000 jars of peanut butter.
AMPARO GOMEZ
Board Member
Amparo Gomez is a long-time resident of Saint Lucie County, where she enjoys her work as a volunteer with different child-centered organizations. She has a background in International Business, Finance, and Accounting and has worked for international and multi-global companies in Florida for over 30 years.
DORIS PLYM
Board Member
Doris Plym is a strong advocate for abused and neglected children. She worked for more than 25 years as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem representing the best interest of children going through Dependency in the 19th Judicial circuit. Doris is also on the Board of Communities Connected For Kids providing oversight and coordination of the child welfare system in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie Counties. She has been with gfnf since 2008.
DR. BRANDI RIALS
Board Member
Dr. Brandi Rials is a Florida Licensed Psychologist and co-owner at Palm Beach Behavioral Health and Wellness. She serves as the national Clinical Director for PBBHW’s psychology training programs and has been a faculty member teaching graduate level courses in the areas of lifespan development and expressive arts therapies with children.
ROWAN MCGARRY
Board Member
Rowan is a teacher assistant for The Learning Academy at the Els Center of Excellence, a high school for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She began working in the field prior to completing her undergraduate degree working with children being removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.
DOROTHY MALIK
Board Member
Dorothy Malik is the former Assistant Chief Probation Officer for The Department of Juvenile Justice (Circuit 19) which encompasses Saint Lucie, Martin, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties. Her work with youth began over 40 years ago when I began working as a teacher’s aide with the St. Lucie County School System. She is committed and passionate about the wellbeing of children and the community at large and demonstrated this by her work beyond her job with the Department of Juvenile Justice as demonstrated by her involvement with (VCOYA) Village Coalition of Youth Activities in which she was the chairperson.
WENDY ZUNIGA
Board Member
Wendy Zuniga has served over 500 children in the community of St. Lucie, first by being the children’s director at her local church for ten years and also by working as the site coordinator of the Multicultural Resource Center, where the majority of the children served where underprivileged. Wendy has also volunteered with numerous other non-profit programs for children. Wendy is pursuing her Master’s in Education at Florida Atlantic University.
SUZANNE MOGAVERO
Board Member
Suzanne is the owner and operator of Ramey Floor And Home, which is located in Stuart, FL. Prior to her current venture at Ramey, she successfully owned and operated “Once Upon a Child,” a resale children’s store for over a decade. Suzanne is deeply committed to the Treasure Coast community and has leveraged her business to support numerous nonprofits, providing hope to local families in need, among other contributions. Having overcome challenges herself, she holds a strong passion for advocating for abused and disadvantaged children. She is enthusiastic about her involvement with Guardians for the Futures and remains dedicated to enhancing our community.
PETER JONES
Board Member
Peter W. Jones, A.I.A. is a licensed registered Architect currently in his seventh year with St. Lucie County. Peter has been active in community and professional organizations for over twenty years. Mr. Jones was instrumental in the development of Childrens Advocacy Center facility
ANDREW ROSMAN, PHD
Board Member
Andrew Rosman, Ph.D. joined NSU as the dean of the Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship in September 2019. Dean Rosman leads the development and enhancement of the college’s strategic initiatives, long-term planning and policy setting. He collaborates with the faculty and staff in curriculum development, institutional assessment and improvement, and cultivates relationships with alumni and donors.
CATHLEEN BLAIR
Board Member
Cathleen Blair is the Executive Director at Children’s Services Council of Okeechobee County. She has worked for Okeechobee county school board for 39 1/2 years. 29 of those years as Director of Exceptional Student Education
BRENDA RANTE
Board Member
Dr. Brenda Rante is the Director of the School of Continuing Education (SCE at Indian River State College (IRSC) in Fort Pierce, Florida. Brenda is responsible for managing the daily operations of SCE which includes preparing the annual budget, specialized trainings, coordination of federal, state and local training requests for the Preventative Radiological Nuclear Detection Mobile Training Unit, grant writing and management, contract negotiations, setting budgets for training programs, special events, and serves on various committees.
