NICK BRUCE

Originally from Texas, Nick attended Furman University and then graduated law school at Southern Methodist University in 2008. He met his wife, Christina, at Furman.  In May they celebrated their 17^th anniversary.  After Nick graduated in 2008, they moved to Savannah, Georgia so Christina could pursue her passion of interior design by attending (and graduating Summa Cum Laude) from Savannah College of Art and Design. In 2011 they relocated to Vero Beach to be closer to her parents. Nick joined the law firm of Collins Brown as an estate planning and tax attorney. After 10 years in that role, he switched gears and joined UBS as a financial advisor. They are the proud parents of twins Carlisle and Samuel and are actively involved in the community and various nonprofits. If he’s not at the office, you can probably find him at the beach with his son surfing, helping his daughter learn guitar, or losing golf balls. Nick also enjoys cooking, reading and spending time with his family.

 

RAY ROSADO

Raymond served 8 years in the US Navy Reserve with three active-duty deployments to Southwest Asia and Europe. He retired as a Detective from NYPD after 22 years of service. After retiring from NYPD, Raymond owned and operated a private security company which provided executive protection for international visitors to the United States. Due to the pandemic in 2021, Raymond closed his security business and relocated to Vero Beach. It wasn’t long before Raymond’s entrepreneurial spirit motivated him to purchase the local PostNet Franchise.   Raymond is a member of the IRC Chamber of Commerce, the local BNI Power Partners of IRC chapter, and a member as well as a board member of the Vero Beach Chamber of Commerce. He’s been married to his wife Azalia for 34 years.  They have three daughters and a grandson.

 

CAPTAIN KELVIN GARCIA

Captain Kelvin Garcia has a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering from Technical University Ecuador. He completed two years at The Salvation Army seminar and graduated as a minister, and is currently working on his second degree in Christian ministry at Trevecca University.  Captain Kelvin is from Ecuador, and Captain Niuris is from Cuba. They both arrived in the United States in 2005 and moved to Naples, FL where they met in The Salvation Army Church.  They married in 2010. They came to Vero Beach from Miami Dade County, where, for the last five years, he and his wife were responsible for the programs and services of The Salvation Army Hialeah. Captain Kelvin and his family assumed their new position in Vero Beach in June 2022.  Captain Kelvin is active in the community with the programs The Salvation Army provides such as the Food Pantry, Emergency Disaster, Soup Kitchen, Utilities Assistance, Summer Camps, Youth Programs/Music Program, Christmas Assistance for Children and Seniors, Back to School Supplies, and more. They have three children: Caleb, David, and Angelina.

 

MARK GALLAGHER

Mark is originally from South Weymouth, Massachusetts. After high school, he enlisted in the US Navy in 2000 and served two deployments during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He currently runs Gallagher Home Inspections, which focuses on inspecting residential and commercial buildings for safety and quality. His wife, Linda, is dedicated to raising funds for children's mental health at Tykes and Teens.  Their daughter, Eleanor, is in the fourth grade at Saint Helens Catholic School. Mark’s hobbies include catching blue crabs, fishing, and restoring a 1967 Fastback Mustang.

 

JENNIFER MOORE

Jennifer began her professional career at Costa Nursery Farms and was promoted to National Sales Representative for the Northeast Region of the United States.  In this role, she was responsible for further establishing and growing some of the company’s largest accounts, including Costco and Walmart. In January of 1998 Jennifer stepped away from her position at Costa Nursery to take on her new responsibilities of raising two beautiful daughters, Madison and Kaitlen.  During this time, Jennifer discovered her passion for early childhood development and education. This passion led her to start helping new home school families create effective literacy strategies. Jennifer returned to work as the Educational Coordinator with Motivational Coaches of America, a Miami based non-profit organization whose mission was to provide additional resources and educational support services to families living in poverty. Jennifer currently resides in Indian River County and serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Youth Guidance Mentoring Academy.

 

CATHY PENDERLEITH

Cathy received a BS in Elementary Education from SUNY Oswego which included a year abroad in Madrid, Spain. Her first full-time teaching job was in Cashion, Arizona teaching English as a Second Language while also instructing the migrant farm worker parents ESL at night. She then completed certifications in Multi-Cultural Special Education and Bi-Lingual Education at ASU in Tempe, Arizona. After that, she obtained a certificate to teach at the Community College level and began instructing adults in ESL at night. She enrolled in the master’s program at Northern Arizona State University and obtained a degree in Educational Psychology and completed certification as a School Psychometrist. After 17 years, Cathy returned to New York where her family resides and continued teaching Spanish and ESL to inner city multi-cultural children. During her last ten years she returned to the elementary level ESL and ran the Student Government in a Micro-Society School.

 

MARTY KLEIN

Marty began his career in healthcare more than 40 years ago as a Podiatrist. His postdoctoral research and interests were in novel techniques to mitigate lower extremity amputations and healthcare technology, including biomedical image processing. His interest in healthcare technology and healthcare delivery drove an early career change. Much of the last 30 years has been spent supporting healthcare payer/provider organizations and healthcare technology companies; mostly consulting in labor arbitrage, analytics, and efficiencies. Marty was a member, past president, and Paul Harris Fellow in the Ronkonkoma Rotary Club (NY) in the 1980’s.  Marty recently retired and he and his wife Leslie have been year-round residents of Vero Beach for over three years. They have one son, Ethan, who is a recent graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University and lives in Tampa.  In his free time, you can often find Marty on the lagoon in one of his three kayaks.

 

MILO THORNTON

Captain Milo Thornton served in law enforcement with the City of Vero Beach and St. Lucie County prior to joining the Indian River County Sheriff Office in November 2002. At IRCSO, he has served as a Sergeant in Uniform Patrol, Lieutenant of Criminal Investigations, Captain of Uniform Patrol, and Major of the Bureau of Administration.  Milo has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Indian River Community College. He has also completed Chief Executive Leadership class and Command Officer Development Course from University of Louisville and Leadership Development from FDLE Leadership Academy. Milo has received the John and Reve’ Walsh, Florida Department of Law Enforcement Missing Children’s Award, and Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. He is active with numerous non-profit organizations in IRC.  He was also by Governor DeSantis to the Board of Trustees of Indian River State College Board in 2022. In his free time, Milo enjoys playing golf and supporting our youth and high school sports teams.

 

 

BRANDY BUCKNER

Brandy is a co-owner of The Crab Stop Seafood Bar & Grill in Vero Beach and Sebastian.  Additionally, she serves as the CEO of Sweet Desires Espresso Bar & Sweet Desires Dessert Lounge. In her professional career, Brandy has worked at Peace River Citrus Products for 20 years and currently holds a senior position with the company.  She is actively involved in her community serving as the President of the Board of Directors for the Helping Hands Program of South County. She has also participated in the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class in 2019, the IGNITE 360 Business Mentoring Program in 2020, and weVenture's CEO Peer Group in 2023.  Despite her busy schedule, Brandy prioritizes spending quality time with her loved ones. As a wife and mother, she cherishes her family, and also finds joy in the companionship of her Cane Corso Mastiffs, Bucky and Kalea, whom she considers her gentle giants.

 

 

BILL STAPLETON

Bill Stapleton served in many capacities during his thirty-five years with AT&T ranging from office mail clerk to Director of Marketing upon his retirement. In 1983, he began working on the consulting team of McKinsey and Company.  He later became the founder and managing partner of the Stapleton Group, a consultancy focused on financially improving distressed and emerging companies. Bill also served six years as a commissioned officer in the Air Force. Until recently, he served as the Assistant Treasurer and Chairman of the Reception Committee for the Cleveland Clinic Hospital Auxiliary. Visitors to Vero Beach since 1986, Bill and his wife Patrice have been full-time residents since 2015. They will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary in June.  They have four children and one granddaughter.

 

MARKUS MUELLER

Markus grew up near the city of Bonn, Germany.  He enjoyed his education years and at age 16 qualified to be part of a student exchange program and was able to spend his junior year in Glandorf, Ohio.  He completed preparatory school, attended a local college where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business and began working in the regional offices of Mercedes-Benz in Bonn.  He also completed a 15month military training program. Markus immigrated to Columbus Ohio at age 25. He is a Certified Professional Insurance Agent working as a licensed insurance broker for property/casualty and life/health insurance.  Markus and his wife, Teej, have lived in Vero Beach since 2015.  They have one daughter, two sons and three grandchildren.   They are active in their local church, and especially enjoy working in the food pantry.  In their spare time, they like to travel and spend time with their children and grandchildren. 

 

BARBARA HAMMOND

Barbara is one of the three original founders of The Learning Alliance, and currently serves as its Chief Executive Officer. She has a B.A. in Economics from Williams College and a master’s degree in Public and Private Management from Yale University. Barbara was formerly a consultant with Bain and Company in Boston and the Director of Strategic Planning for Shawmut Corporation in Boston. Prior to co-founding The Learning Alliance, she served as chairman of the Mental Health Association Board of Directors in Vero Beach where she spent 10 years developing their strategic planning and fundraising activities.  A resident of Vero Beach with husband Tom since 1996, Barbara is the mother of two boys.

 

 

NANCY NITARDY

Nancy Nitardy moved to Vero Beach a year ago from Austin Texas to be closer to her mom (88) and dad (92) and, for the sunshine and beaches.  In Austin, she spent twenty-one years in the Austin Independent School District. The first 6-yrs as the Program Director for the federal GEAR UP Grant.  When the program ended, she continued at McCallum High School as the college counselor and golf coach for fifteen years Prior to Austin, she coached college swimming for fifteen years at Indiana University, Harvard University and Dartmouth College. Nancy is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a degree in Education. She also is an eighteen-time swimming All-American while at USC.  Since moving here, she has become a mentor to a 7-yr old through the Youth Guidance program and volunteers and writes grants for the Sally Wilkey Foundation.  In her free time, Nancy enjoys playing tennis, pickleball, and golf and loves to travel and read.

 

 

MEGAN ROOT

Megan Root is a Vero Beach native and a 2009 graduate of Vero Beach High School. She attended the University of South Carolina for her undergraduate studies.   In 2016 she received her Juris Doctor and Certificate in Public Interest Law from The University of Alabama School of Law where she received multiple accolades for her service to the community, including the honor of Order of the Samaritan. Megan is a member of the law firm of Collins Brown Barkett where her practice focuses on civil litigation and guardianship law.  Megan is an executive board member of the Saint Lucie Bar Association and the Young Lawyers’ Division of the Indian River County Bar Association.  She is a founding member of the Gifford Legal Services Clinic.  She is a licensed Zumba fitness instructor and a devoted cat and kitten foster mom with the local humane societies.  In her spare time, Megan enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her husband, Craig, and her tailless cat, Boo.

 

 

ANDREA KAUPAS 

Andrea Kaupas is a board-certified family physician who recently opened her own primary care office, Coast 2 Coast Healthcare, in Vero Beach.   She was raised in northern Michigan but her medical training allowed her to experience life outside of the mitten state attending Kansas City University of Medicine, and completing specialty rotations in North Carolina, Delaware and New York.  She returned to Michigan for her residency.  She also participated in medical missions to Peru, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic.  Upon graduating residency she moved to Traverse City, MI and was a partner in a practice for over 10 years.  Andrea and her husband have five-year-old twin boys and a German shorthair pointer named Piper.  They moved to Vero Beach in January 2020 in pursuit of more sunshine.  When not working, they enjoy being outdoors, travelling, running, and anything to tire out the boys.

 

JORDAN LULICH 

Jordan J. Lulich is a licensed Florida Attorney who concentrates his practice in the areas of Real Property and Business. A large part of his practice entails the issuance of title insurance as he is an authorized title insurance agent for Old Republic National Title Company. Jordan is also a licensed Florida real estate instructor and enjoys presenting classes and seminars to real estate agents.  Additionally, he provides instructional opportunities to real estate brokerages on law related topics.  Jordan graduated from Indian River Charter High School and holds a Bachelor’s Degree and Juris Doctorate from Florida State University. In his free time, he serves on the Board of the Indian River Charter High School, has completed numerous half marathons, 10k races, 5k races, and enjoys time competitively racing.

CONRAD "JIM" KUSEL

Jim grew up in Miami, attended Wake Forest University (’80), and Northwestern University School of Dentistry (’84).  He joined his father’s dental practice in Port St. Lucie and soon after his brother Brian did as well.   He joined Rotary in July of 1986 and has belonged to three different clubs – the Rotary club of Port St. Lucie, the Rotary Club of Vero Beach Sunrise and the Rotary Club of Havre, Montana. He has served in several positions in Rotary including president, as a board member, and as treasurer.  He has been very active in numerous service projects at all three clubs.    He and his wife, Karen, have been married 40 years and have three sons.  James and his fiancée live in Naples, Italy where he is a Lieutenant Commander in the USN.  Gregory and his wife live in Gainesville where he works as an environmental engineer for AECOM.  Nathan and his wife live in Kissimmee where he works as a planner for the Transit and Transportation Department of Osceola County. Jim has semi-retired and he and Karen have relocated from Montana to Palm City.