Because reading is a right, not a privilege.

Chair

Born and raised in Guatemala, Rocio Velazquez is a wife and mother of two beautiful boys. She is a preschool teacher and attorney in her country, with a Master of Laws degree (LL.M) from Florida International University. Rocio is a La Leche League Leader and a board member at Florida Breastfeeding Coalition.

In 2015 she and her family settled in Miami. Currently, she works at The Children’s Movement of Florida, a non-profit that advocates for high-quality early childhood education, access to health services for all children in the state and provide tools to support parents. For her contributions to health, human rights and human welfare in the community, she was awarded the Alexandra Bach-Lagos 2018 Scholarship from the Miami-Dade Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers. She is a Leadership Miami fellow of the 43 cohort and member of several committees related to health and education.

Secretary

Dr. Ross has been in the education field for over 20 years. She focused her career on supporting students, families, and teachers. Dr. Ross works with students with learning differences. She has been at The Cushman School for nearly 20 years and is presently the Director of the Laura Cushman Academy. Tracy has a BA in psychology and studio art from Tulane University, a master’s degree in school counseling from Palm Beach Atlantic University, and a doctor of philosophy in counseling specializing in marriage and family from Barry University.

Founder & CEO

Sandra Bermudez, a dedicated advocate for literacy and the proud mother of Lucy, leads The Lucy Project with a passion for making a positive impact on the world. She holds Master's degrees from NYU and Teachers College, Columbia University. With over 20 years of senior-level management experience, Sandra is an entrepreneurial trailblazer who has conceptualized, founded, and successfully grown The Lucy Project. Over the past three years, the organization has provided free and subsidized evidence-based intervention to 50 children daily, while also training over 100 teachers in Structured Literacy at no cost to the teachers.

As a businesswoman, her leadership skills extend to recruiting, training, and coordinating teams, both large and small, and she has a track record of expanding businesses and securing key clients domestically and internationally. Sandra's commitment to building new organizations and fostering long-term strategic relationships is at the heart of The Lucy Project's mission to transform literacy education.

Treasurer

Michaeljohn Green currently serves as the Deputy Director of Economic Development for Miami-Dade County . He studied Management Information Systems and Economics at Harris Stowe State University, he proceeded to work in grassroots organizing with Acorn but later found a home working for one of the nation’s top CDFI's in Justine Petersen. His success and passion for finance led him to jobs at Bank of America, JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, and The Bank of Montreal. While working with the Private Wealth Team at The Bank of Montreal managing over half a billion dollars with not one black or brown client, creating wealth in minority communities has now become his calling. With that passion working with a Miami-based Community Development Corporation and managing the CDFI seemed to be a natural fit. As fund manager of the Community Fund of North Miami Dade, Mj started a small business lending program, focused on minority entrepreneurs. Most recently Mr. Green has helped in the creation of The Rise Miami Dade Fund a county-supported program to support small businesses ecosystem through this current pandemic.

Development Chair

Kadie Black has experienced first hand the challenges and gifts that result from being dyslexic. Kadie was blessed with parents who identified her learning disability early and put the right educational plan in place which she credits for her success. It took many years of resiliency and determination but Kadie now sees her dyslexia as a gift. Kadie’s husband and two children also have the gift of dyslexia. The work of the Lucy Project is very personal for Kadie.

Kadie has served in a myriad of leadership roles in both Miami and New York City. Most of her professional career has been dedicated to advancing the welfare of children and families through her work as a community organizer, advocate, and fundraiser for programs such as Foster Care Review, Casa Valentina, and Our Kids of Miami-Dade Monroe, Inc. Kadie is a passionate advocate and avid volunteer. Kadie currently serves as the CEO of Voices for Children. Kadie is also a certified Mindset Coach who helps individuals find more meaning and joy in everyday life.

Education Chair

Heather’s literacy journey began in 2015 when her 3rd-grade son was diagnosed with dyslexia after several years of academic struggles. The diagnosis led her to do a deep dive into dyslexia and the gap between what science tells us about how children learn to read and educational practices.

Heather’s first career was as a Managing Director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York City. Heather has since become an International Dyslexia Association accredited structured literacy teacher. She holds a master’s degree in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University, where she is currently a doctoral student. She tutored dyslexic children at Vertical Skills Academy in Evergreen, CO and at the Rocky Mountain Camp for dyslexics. Heather serves as Treasurer and Legislative Chair of the International Dyslexia Association Rocky Mountain Branch. Heather is the former Board President of Vertical Skills Academy, a K-8 school in Evergreen, CO that serves dyslexic students. She is a Fellow of the 2019 Haskins Laboratories Summer Institute.

Strategic Initiatives Chair

A believer in justice and inclusion, Elizabeth has focused her career on supporting individuals and families to obtain legal, financial, and educational resources. Elizabeth received a BA in Art History from Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, and her Juris Doctor degree from St. Thomas University.

In addition to her law practice, Elizabeth donates her time to educational and philanthropic programs as a community advocate and fundraiser. She also serves on the fundraising committee for The Friendship Circle, a charitable organization dedicated to helping children and young adults with special needs in the South Florida community.

Director

Nataly Valdez is a Miami-native, raised in the city of Allapattah by Dominican-born parents. She is an alumni of Miami Jackson Senior High School where she graduated as Salutatorian and Florida International University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Finance and Accounting. In her current position, Nataly serves as the Senior Administrative Officer for the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, a department dedicated to serving the needs of patients that have suffered catastrophic

Nataly is a proud parent of three impressive children. Jonathan, Brianna, and Ricardo

Communications & Marketing Chair

Born Jamerican, Suzan McDowell is the Founder, President & CEO of Circle of One Marketing, a Miami-based, minority-owned full-service marketing agency with expertise in African American and Caribbean consumer markets. Suzan has spent her professional career in marketing and media, “making her clients popular”. She brings a wealth of experience in conceptualizing and executing successful marketing and promotional campaigns in local, national, and International markets. She has built brands like the incredibly successful Jazz in the Gardens and OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in America, among hundreds of other high profile, high impact clients and projects. Her public relations and event management efficacy and expansive personal network is widely documented throughout South Florida and well beyond.

McDowell is a true visionary, a natural comedian, a wordsmith with a lot of words, frequently tangential, has twice rappelled down 19 floors to raise money for under privileged kids and, most importantly, she is the proud mother of her polar opposite, Sydney Alicia, her surprisingly calm and well-adjusted daughter.

Director

Alexander Soto is a seasoned financial professional with over 19 years of experience in Commercial and Preferred Banking.

Currently, Alexander serves as the Senior Vice President of Business Development at International Finance Bank in Miami, Florida, His role also includes overseeing $400 million in deposits, developing new products, revamping retail positions, and creating business stabilization plans.

In addition to his professional achievements, Alexander has been recognized as one of the top 25 Club Leaders of the Future by Latino Leaders Magazine and has received the IFB Social Responsibility Award. He holds an MBA in Business Management from St. Thomas University, and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Philosophy from FIU.

Alexander actively participates in the board of the Florida Banker’s Association, and past board of the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade.

Director

Jacqueline Gonzalez,is a Vice President and Banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, who works closely with successful individuals and families, entrepreneurs, business owners, and C-suite executives across Southern Florida to help transform hard work into the futures they envision. She is a powerful champion, providing a conduit to the firm’s fortress balance sheet and global capabilities, enabling her clients to accomplish their financial goals all in one place.

Jacqueline has found that clients seek an advisor they can trust, someone whose values align with their own. With a background as a former professional golfer, she has a particular interest in working with members of the sports and entertainment communities, offering long-term strategic guidance throughout the many phases of their careers. She educates individuals about the wealth planning process and tends to the breadth of their needs, freeing them to focus on what they do best.

Jacqueline brings a passion for client service, acting as a tireless advocate to help navigate the complexities of financial decisions.

Director

Madeleine currently volunteers as a reading specialist for The Lucy Project. Her passion is for all children to reach their full potential regardless of their economic situation.

 For eight years she was the Director of the Reader Leader program, an after school literacy program for the underserved children in the West Grove.

Madeleine graduated from Regis University in Denver Colorado with. a B.S. in Business Administration and Economics. 

She was a children's buyer for Burdines and a private label buyer for Federated Department Stores.

Madeleine is a proud wife of 34 years and a mother of two beautiful daughter

Director

Dr. Aaron M. Kuntz is Dean of the School of Education and Human Development and also holds the Frost Professorship of Education and Human Development at Florida International University. Before becoming Dean, Aaron served as Chair of the Department of Counseling, Recreation, and School Psychology. Previous to FIU, Aaron was a faculty member and department chair at the University of Alabama where he was awarded the President’s Research Award, Community Engagement Award, and award for Faculty Excellence in Teaching.

A strong advocate for education and educators at all levels, Aaron emphasizes working with schools and community members over and above studying them. To this end, Aaron strives to establish sustainable partnerships that foreground education as a means for productive social change, accountability, and mobility.

Founding Board Member and Director Emeritus

David retired in 1999 as publisher of The Miami Herald to work in early childhood development and readiness. He chairs The Children’s Movement of FL, aimed at making children the state’s top priority for investment and decision-making. He is a gubernatorial appointee to the Board of Trustees of Florida A&M University. David was publisher and executive editor of the Detroit Free Press and editor of The Charlotte Observer.

Founding Board Chair

Natalia is a career educator with expertise in early childhood education, care, and development. She has served as a teacher and learning coach in elementary and secondary schools, contributing to program development, curriculum mapping, edtech integration and change management. Her bachelor’s is in political science from Boston College with a master's in elementary education from the University of Miami. She serves on the board of Julen Smiles, focused on helping families who have children with special needs, and as a committee chair with the Junior League.