Board of Directors

VIRGINIA EMMONS MCNAUGHT
Ms. Emmons' experience is in working with nonprofit and community service organizations. Ms. Emmons was inspired to start Educate Tomorrow by her years of service as a volunteer at a domestic abuse shelter, then as a Peace Corps Volunteer. While working as an organizational consultant for a rescue mission, Emmons built the foundation of what would grow to be a sizable grass roots movement in Miami, FL as well as over sees in Niger, West Africa. Through her leadership, perseverance and dedication with the help of some very committed staff and board members Educate Tomorrow continues to expand. Ms. Emmons is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (BA International Studies & German, BS Geography, Minors: Spanish & Women's Studies). Ms. Emmons has also studied in Costa Rica, South Korea, and Germany. She speaks fluent Zarma and has a working knowledge of some Tadawsak, French, Spanish, and German. Ms. Emmons served as a volunteer with the United States Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa from 2000-2002. Ms. Emmons is the recipient of the Junior League of Miami's 2006 "Women Who Make a Difference Award" and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center's 2007 "Pepsi Everyday Freedom Hero Award".

 

MELANIE (EMMONS) DAMIAN, Attorney  Damian & Valori, LLP

Melanie Emmons Damian is the senior partner at Damian & Valori LLP , a commercial litigation boutique firm in Miami, specializing in business and employment litigation.  Ms. Damian believes that educational mentoring is the most important component in helping disadvantaged youth to improve their lives. In keeping with her convictions, Ms. Damian is active in child advocacy with Lawyers for Children America and the Guardian Ad Litem program. She received the pro bono award in 2001 for child advocacy from the Miami-Dade County Bar Association and Eleventh Judicial Circuit. Ms. Damian also received the 2005 Florida Bar Association Young Lawyer Division Pro Bono Award and the Lawyers for Children 2005 John Edward Smith Award.  In 2006, Ms. Damian received the Junior League of Miami, Inc. Woman Who Make a Difference award. Additionally, Ms. Damian has recently received the 2007 Pepsi Everyday Freedom Hero Award and The Florida Bar President's 2008 Pro Bono Service Award from the Eleventh Judicial Circuit for her work with Educate Tomorrow. 

SCOTT M. DIMOND, Dimond, Kaplan & Rothstein, PA

Scott M. Dimond was born May 3, 1968 in Falls Church, Virginia.  A graduate of Ransom Everglades High School in Coconut Grove, Florida, Mr. Dimond received his B.A. with distinction  from the University of Virginia, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.  Mr. Dimond graduated from Columbia University School of Law in 1993, where he received honors in all three years of matriculation.  From 1993 until 1999, Mr. Dimond was employed by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Miami, Florida, where he was involved in all aspects of a complex-commercial-litigation practice.  In April 1999, Mr. Dimond joined the firm of Hanzman & Criden, P.A., a well-respected litigation boutique located in Coral Gables, Florida, where he was named a partner in January 2002.  At that firm, Mr. Dimond focused his practice on the areas of general commercial litigation, claimant-side securities arbitration, and plaintiff-side class-action litigation.  Mr. Dimond has served as Chair of the Florida Bar Rules of Judicial Administration Committee and Chair of the Sealed Docket and Court Records Subcommittee.  He is a past Vice-Chair of the Florida Bar Civil Procedure Rules Committee and past Chair of the Civil Procedure Rules Drafting Sub-Committee.  He is currently Chair of the Miami-Dade County Federal Court Committee. He serves on the Ransom Everglades Alumni Board and on the Board of Directors of the non-profit organization Educate Tomorrow.  Mr. Dimond was named to Florida Trend magazine’s "Legal Elite" from 2008-2010, was named a "Top Lawyer" by the South Florida Legal Guide from 2008-2010, and was named a Superlawyer by Law and Politics magazine from 2008-2010.  Mr. Dimond became a founding shareholder of Dimond Kaplan & Rothstein, P.A. in March 2003 and is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.

SANDRA UPEGUI, Esq. University of Miami

Sandra M. Upegui, Assistant General Counsel, joined the University of Miami General Counsel's team in October 2008. Ms. Upegui was a partner with Shutts & Bowen, LLP in the International Dispute resolution and Litigation Practice Group focusing her practice in the insurance, healthcare, real estate, construction, securities, banking, and aviation industries. She is a member of the Florida Bar (Business and International Law sections) and is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida and to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Ms. Upegui received her J.D. from Florida State University College of Law, magna cum laude, where she was an active member of the Moot Court Team and attended a summer program hosted by Tulane University and the University of Siena, Italy, which included a special course study with former United States Chief Justice Rehnquist. She graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of arts in International Affairs cum laude.

PETER VALORI, Damian & Valori, LLP

Peter Valori is the Managing Partner for the law firm of Damian & Valori LLP. He focuses his practice on business litigation with a particular emphasis on corporate, real estate, employment and intellectual property litigation. Mr. Valori is a member of the Florida bar and is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Southern, Middle and Northern Districts of Florida; the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida; and the United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. He is Chair of the Business Litigation Committee for the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar.

Mr. Valori graduated from Pennsylvania State University (B.S., 1991) and the University of Miami School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1994) where he was a member of the University of Miami Law Review. Mr. Valori is a resident of Miami Beach.

PATRICK GANNON, Kauffman Rossin & Company

With Kaufman, Rossin & Co. since 1989, Audit and Litigation Support Services Principal Patrick Gannon concentrates on public (SEC) and private entities in various industries, including banking, financial investment, health care, manufacturing, real estate development, retail and wholesale. Gannon graduated from Florida International University, receiving his Bachelor’s in Accounting in 1984; and from the University of Miami, where he earned his Master’s of Professional Accountancy in 1985. He’s Accredited in Business Valuation, a Certified Valuation Analyst, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts.

Additionally, Pat has qualified as an expert witness and has testified to general business damages, lost profits, diminished business value, breach of contract damages, intellectual property damages, employment damages, alter ego issues, equitable distribution, internal controls, accounting and other related topics in over two dozen litigation matters in Federal and State courts and before the American Arbitration Association.

 
ROBERT LEVENSON, Securities and Exchange Commission

Mr. Levenson is a lawyer with the Miami Regional Office of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Since May 2004, he has been Regional Trial Counsel, overseeing all litigation in the Miami office. Prior to joining the SEC in 2002, Mr. Levenson was in private practice in the Miami office of Holland + Knight LLP. He is a 1996 summa cum laude graduate of the University of Miami School of Law. After graduating, Mr. Levenson clerked for the Hon. Edward Davis, Chief United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida.

Prior to going to law school, Mr. Levenson spent 13 years as a newspaper reporter with the Chicago Tribune, the Omaha World Herald, and the Orlando Sentinel. He has bachelors and masters degrees in journalism from Northwestern University. Mr. Levenson also has a lifetime history of volunteer and pro bono work, including serving as a big brother with Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations in several cities, serving as an Educate Tomorrow mentor, and coaching youth sports teams. In 2000, he was the first winner of the John Edward Smith Award from Lawyers for Children America for his work representing dependent children in Florida state court.

IVETTE DAY, Smith & Wollensky

Ivette Day has been the director of private dining at Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group since 2002, the same year she received her executive M.B.A. from Florida International University.   Working from the Miami Beach restaurant, she has been instrumental in Smith & Wollensky’s continuing success over the years.  Prior to this, she worked with a number of catering, banqueting, and restaurant establishments in Miami Dade.  She came into the dining industry from the academic world, where she was a teacher during the nineties.  She spends time expanding her network in southern Florida, serving in several chambers of commerce, and contributing the value of her knowledge and experience as a mentor with Educate Tomorrow.  She serves on the Board’s Events Committee.

IAN TORRES, JBG Communications

 Ian C. Torres is an Account Manager for JBG Communications, a full service marketing, advertising and public relations firm.  Mr. Torres has managed accounts in various professional and consumer industries where he has developed strategic public relations programs, creative branding initiatives and multimillion dollar advertising campaigns.  He is a member of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce where he is on the Board of Directors and Chair of the HYPE (Helping Young Professionals Engage) Committee. He is also on the Board of Directors for Educate Tomorrow and Chair of their Communications Committee.  Mr. Torres received his undergraduate degree from Florida International University School of Journalism and Mass Communication (B.S. 2001)

JASON MAZER, Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin, PA

Jason S. Mazer concentrates his trial and appellate practice in the specialized areas of Insurance Litigation, Insurer Bad-Faith, Unfair Insurance Practices, and Employment Law.  Mr. Mazer represents individual, corporate, and municipal policyholders in all types of first and third-party insurance coverage and bad faith disputes, and his practice also includes the representation of Bankruptcy Trustees and Receivers in disputes with Director and Officer, Error and Omission, and Commercial General Liability insurers.  He has written extensively, and frequently lectures in these areas.

A member of the Florida Bar, Mr. Mazer is admitted to practice before the United States District Court, Southern, Middle, and Northern Districts of Florida, and the United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit.  Mr. Mazer enjoys an international practice with individual and corporate clients throughout the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Born in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and raised in New York, Mr. Mazer graduated from Tufts University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts and received his Juris Doctor, Order of the Coif, from Washington University School of Law in 1998.  Mr. Mazer served as a volunteer in the elite Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, prosecuting pattern or practice employment discrimination cases.  After leaving the Department of Justice, Mr. Mazer joined the Miami Office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP representing management in labor and employment disputes.

Mr. Mazer joined Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin in 1999 and helped to build its international insurance coverage practice. As a shareholder of the firm, he expanded the practice to include the representation of Bankruptcy Trustees in complex civil litigation.  Mr. Mazer's expertise in matters of insurance coverage, unfair claim handling, and bad faith have maximized recoveries for his clients, often well above policy limits.

Mr. Mazer resides in Pinecrest, Florida with his wife and two sons.

 

CHRIS DAMIAN, Gibraltar Bank

Chris Damian joined Gibraltar Bank in 1999 after a fast-rising career at Citibank Private Bank where he served as Vice President for five years and NationsBank where he served as Assistant Vice President for the previous six years. At both institutions, he oversaw portfolios in excess of $100 million consisting of law firms and middle market companies.

Mr. Damian was ready for new challenges when Gibraltar Private recruited him. His initial duties included managing the company's Private Banking team and spearheading business development efforts to grow the young bank. Promoted in 2008, Mr. Damian provides sales leadership to Gibraltar Private's lending areas and manages three high-performing teams.

In addition to his professional responsibilities, Mr. Damian gives his time, as well as emotional and financial support, to Educate Tomorrow, which he helped to found through his mentoring of a family of siblings in foster care.

RONNIE HANKERSON, Charlee Homes for Children

Ronchella "Ronnie" Hankerson is the Education Program Manager for CHARLEE Homes for Children. CHARLEE is a private not-for-profit agency that cares for children ages 0-23 years old in Miami-Dade County who have been placed in foster care due to abuse, abandonment and neglect. Mrs. Hankerson has been employed by CHARLEE for 13 years and has held many positions, Case Manager, Court Liaison, Diligent Search Coordinator, Placement Liaison, Placement Specialist and Healthy Girls Coordinator. Mrs. Hankerson is a former Miami-Dade County Public school teacher; she taught English and Reading to students with Varying Exceptionalities at South Dade Senior High School and worked as a Pool Substitute at Coral Gables Senior High School. Mrs. Hankerson has dedicated her life to working with at-risk-youth and is currently serving as a mentor to two youth from Educate Tomorrow. She volunteers her time at Gigi's Childcare Center and is actively involved with her church, Second Baptist Church, in Richmond Heights. In addition to her work in the community, Mrs. Hankerson operates her own business as a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant.

Mrs. Hankerson was born in Lake Arthur, LA and attended Grambling State University in Grambling, LA and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing. She is married and is the proud mother of one daughter and one son.

 

ANTONIO SHELTON, Crispin Porter & Bogusky

Antonio Shelton has been with advertising agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky for five years as a Broadcast Engineer. He is responsible for studio recording, sound design and effects, music production, and post-production work. Mr. Shelton received his A.S. degree in Recording Arts from Fullsail University in Orlando, Florida in 2004. Mr. Shelton also has an active artistic career as a hip hop and R&B musician, releasing his first single "Remember" in 2008. Mr. Shelton was a foster youth in Miami-Dade County. The efforts of Melanie Damian and Chris Damian to assist Mr. Shelton further his education provided much of the inspiration for the formation of Educate Tomorrow. Mr. Shelton sends a message to our youth of the possibility of attending college.

KARA SHARP, CPA Kauffman Rossin & Company

Kara Sharp joined Kaufman, Rossin & Co. as our Director of Advisory services after 12 years with Arthur Andersen LLP. Kara has conducted over 30 due diligence engagements throughout the United States on behalf of financial and strategic buyers, including analysis of targets' earnings, assets, revenue streams, cash flows, identification of commitments and contingent liabilities and potential deal breakers as well as counseled on significant accounting issues. Kara has also provided numerous post-acquisition integration advisory services. Kara graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Florida. She is a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants and past president of the Miami-Downtown Chapter, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants as well as a member and treasurer of Junior League of Miami, Inc.

MELISSA (EMMONS) McCARTHY
Melissa McCarthy is the General Manager/CEO of OCAS Inc.  The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Norwegian based OCAS AS and focuses on developing technology to increase air safety primarily with respect to obstacle markings and collision avoidance while also promoting environmental concerns and interests.  Melissa is a graduate of the United States Military Academy with a degree in engineering management.  She served for six years in the US military as a Communications Officer rising to the rank of Captain.   Since her visit to Niger in 2001, Ms. McCarthy has become especially involved with the Educate Tomorrow International Outreach Program.

LEGAL SUPPORT:
Peter Valori, Melanie Damian, the other attorneys of  Damian & Valori, LLP and other board members provide legal advice and assistance on a daily basis.

 

Board Advisor:

BOB HUDSON, Baker & McKenzie LLP

Bob Hudson is the Senior Tax Partner in the Miami office of Baker & McKenzie. Mr. Hudson has long been recognized as a leading tax authority and practitioner, with specialties in both tax planning and tax controversy work in the international and domestica arenas. He is also a member of the Firm's International Private Banking practice group, which was recently ranked in the top tier of Chamber's International Private Client category. Mr. Hudson earned both his J.D. and his bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Florida and also has an L.L.M in Taxation from New York University.

 

LUCY (EMMONS) SPOERK, Educator, Parent Trainer
Lucy Emmons Spoerk serves as an advisor and fundraiser for the Educate Tomorrow International Outreach Program.  As an educator, it was her dream to establish an elementary school.  Her sister, Virginia, showed her that just a few thousand dollars could this make this dream a reality.  So, Ms. Spoerk organized the first major fundraiser to support the establishment of a primary school in Kabey Fo.  With the generous support of her community of Muskego, Wisconsin, she raised funding and collected school supplies. When the school was opened in October of 2000, Ms. Spoerk personally delivered the supplies and funds to Kabey Fo.