Inaugural Cohort

Nihat Ahmed is the founder and CEO of Florida Marketing Group, a company specializing in creating tailored marketing solutions, marketing strategies and patient experience research for the medical and healthcare industry. Nihat has extensive experience in commercial divisions of medical, pharmaceutical, and the health and fitness industries. He has 11 articles published in health and fitness, and his work has included collecting real world data of cancer patients after the chemotherapies were approved by clinical trials from FDA. Nihat successfully completed Harvard Medical School’s certificate “Essential Skills in Clinical Research” to expand his expertise in the medical industry. He is a Member of American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).

Keeping personal data privacy and protection in mind, Nihat wants to improve healthcare system and patient experience, using healthcare data analytics. Fun fact: Nihat lost 60 lbs. of fat, and went from being obese to a fitness trainer and healthy lifestyle advocate; he also makes appearances as a guest speaker to encourage healthy living and the importance of healthcare management. 

Nihat has traveled worldwide due to his father’s military career attending 21 educational institutions. Nihat also speaks five languages and owns and manages a family business in real estate.

Publishers Weekly called him “The Modern-day Mad Man.” Kevin is a perennial marketing and advertising professional, change agent, innovator and now entrepreneur; he is also one of the creators of emotional intelligent business simulation games, E. I. Games. This multi-award-winning game-based learning company innovates in business simulations games, including gold award winning Emotional Intelligent Leadership and Student Success games. E. I. Games simulations are used by universities like Arizona State, Harvard and NYU as well as by companies like Cisco, UBS and Google.

Kevin is the author of Wall Street Journal Best Seller, The Hidden Agenda: A Proven Way to Win Business and Create a Following, The Case of the Missing Cutlery: A Leadership Course for the Rising Star, and has been featured on BBC Radio’s "Four Thought" leadership series. He is just now releasing his third book, co-authored with game-based learning guru Dr. Michael Sutton entitled, Emotify!: The Power of the Human Element in Game-based Learning, Serious Games and Experiential Education.

Kevin was key to the transformation of traditional ad agency McCann Erickson to a contemporary multidisciplinary powerhouse, McCann WorldGroup, becoming global agency of the year for two years running. He moved up to holding company, The Interpublic Group (IPG), and was named its Chief Growth Officer, creating the very first holding company growth and cross company collaboration initiative which drove tens of millions in new revenues and was core to IPG’s successful turnaround. As Vice Chairman of Lowe Worldwide, he devised a breakthrough go to market strategy as the very first global micro-network, resulting in Lowe being named turnaround agency of the year by Ad Age.

Kevin was a leader in developing breakthrough advertising campaigns, notably the pitch for the globally famous “Priceless” campaign for MasterCard, still running in over 100 countries, 15 years after its creation. Kevin has also had landmark experiences in the public sector. He was a board member of the AIDS Quilt (The Names Project) and an early part of Rudy Giuliani’s advisory team that prepared the way for the successful mayoral election and turnaround of the City of New York.

Kevin is a Fellow at Ball State University, an Adjunct Professor of Marketing at Florida Atlantic University, and a visiting lecturer at Columbia University and the Harvard School of Design.

Daniel served as the Vice President of Operations of Aventura Hospital and Medical Center overseeing the support services departments (Environmental Services, Food and Nutrition, Parking, and Telecommunications) as well as the Graduate Medical Education department of an award winning 407 bed Level II Trauma Center.  In addition to supporting the daily operations, Daniel oversaw numerous construction projects including the construction of a helipad, emergency department expansion, and a new operating room as part of the hospital’s effort to become a Level II Trauma Center.  Daniel was also responsible for the hospital’s initiative to become a Statutory Teaching Hospital and led the facility’s initial application and subsequent accreditation from the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) for numerous physician residency programs.

Daniel earned his MBA with concentrations in Competitive Strategy, Finance, and Marketing from the University of Florida, and worked for Boston Scientific as a medical device salesman prior to  joining Aventura Hospital and Medical Center.

Prior to working in the healthcare sector, Daniel was commissioned through the Navy ROTC program, and graduated from Duke University with a BA in Public Policy Studies; he then spent eight years as a naval officer and Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter Pilot. During service in the Navy, he made multiple deployments around the world on the aircraft carriers: USS JOHN C STENNIS and USS CARL VINSON.  His role as the Deputy Director of the U.S. Central Command Joint Search and Rescue included traveling throughout the Middle East and Southwest Asia.  Daniel was also a Navy flight school instructor.

Daniel has lived in Boca Raton for the past five years with his wife, a local Endocrinologist and a Clinical Affiliate Associate Professor at the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. Daniel and his wife have two young children; he enjoys volunteering at his children’s school and coaching their sports’ teams.

As Principal of Focal Point Data Risk. a national risk advisory firm with 12 offices across the U.S., and Partner with Focal Data Risk Assurance, Focal Point’s CPA firm affiliate, Larry is responsible for the South Florida risk advisory practice and focuses on providing advisory and assurance services to clients of all sizes, across various industries. His particular focus areas include enterprise risk management, regulatory compliance,internal control, technology risk and data integrity. He also is the General Partner of Focal Point Data Risk Assurance which provides SOC 1, 2, 3 and HITRUST readiness and assurance services to clients across the U.S.

Prior to Focal Point, Larry was the Chief Financial Officer of a national healthcare services firm. He has held progressive financial leadership positions in both publicly traded companies and public accounting, and he has diverse experience throughout multiple industries, including consumer products, financial services, healthcare, leisure, manufacturing and distribution, and real estate. Larry has also been involved in numerous external and internal financial statement audits for publicly traded companies and the related SEC reporting process. He currently serves of the Accounting and Auditing Standards Committee of the FICPA.

Matt Callahan is a private investor who runs Ash Creek Capital Management, an opportunistic investment fund located in Madison, CT. The fund invests in a variety of sectors including fixed income, venture capital, entertainment and hospitality, and commercial real estate. He has over twenty years of experience owning, financing, and developing commercial and residential real estate in CT, NY, and TX. He is also a full-time member of the faculty at Providence College where he teaches finance in the School of Business and serves as Assistant Chair of the Finance Department. Prior to starting Ash Creek in 1998, he spent over a decade at Bear Stearns where he served as a Senior Managing Director in the Mortgage Trading Department and Fixed Income Research.

Matt holds an Sc.B. in Applied Mathematics and Economics from Brown and a Master's degree in Finance from Harvard. His wife Carly is an actress and Broadway producer, and they have two teenage daughters.

Patricia Carlin is an IT Project Manager and Scrum Master at Carnival Cruise Line. She is also the founder of Leading Ladies of Miami, a women’s empowerment group. She is a Six Sigma Green Belt and holds certification in project management from Xavier University as well as two masters' degrees from the University of Kentucky where she taught Foreign Language Pedagogy and French. 

Patricia holds a certificate in Women’s Executive Leadership from FAU. This year, she was elected President of the Voice of Champions Toastmasters club after serving as VP of Education last year. She also sits on the Board for Meraki Consulting, LLC, an organization focused on personal and professional growth.  In her free time, Patricia enjoys writing or playing music and studying other languages.

Lotta is the founder and CEO of a professional training and consulting company called Key Performance. The company offers various training programs and certification courses in project management, six sigma, lean, business analysis and business process management. In 2005, Key Performance formed a partnership with FAU College of Business Executive Education. Together, they currently offer 20+ professional development courses in project management, lean six sigma and business analysis. Prior to starting her own business, Lotta was working as a senior project manager for West Palm Beach Technologies and, before that, an IT Director for TechniSource (now part of Randstad Technologies) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Lotta was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden. She came to the U.S. in her early 20s and has a bachelor's degree in International Marketing from the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) and a Master of Science in Project Management from Boston University. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Fun fact: Lotta ended up marrying the founder and CEO of TechniSource (but several years AFTER working there). They have four children together ages 10 to 19 and live in Delray Beach and Stockholm, Sweden.

Aneisha Daniel is a senior executive with more than 25 years of leadership and management experience in municipal government.  She is currently the Deputy Director for the City of Fort Lauderdale Public Works Department providing water, wastewater, stormwater, waste collection services and emergency management to approximately 250,000 neighbors and guests.  Prior to her employment with Fort Lauderdale, Aneisha served as the Assistant Director of Miami Dade County Solid Waste Management (DSWM), the largest government owned and operated waste collection and disposal system in the southeastern United States, providing waste collection, recycling services and emergency management for more than 350,000 residential households.

Aneisha possess business acumen with extensive experience in management, financial and operational experiences, strategic analysis and proven leadership.  She has effectively led large operations, capital programs and budgets as large as $600 million; she has also demonstrated her success with more than 15 years of budget experience, analytical skills to implement strategies and programs and the ability to foster positive relationships for a collaborative approach.

In Miami Dade County and DSWM specifically, Aniesha accomplished technological improvements for improved operational outcomes, maximization of resources and customer satisfaction.  In the City of Fort Lauderdale, she is currently leading an Asset Management initiative to map all infrastructure assets within the City for improved inventory of critical water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure assets.

Aneisha holds a master’s degree with a major in Public Administration from St. Thomas University and a bachelor’s degree with a major in Finance from Barry University.  She has completed the FIU Chapman Leadership Certification, holds a Six Sigma Green Belt Team Leader and Yellow Belt instructor certification and is a member of several professional and public administrative organizations.  Her passion is helping others, motivating and mentoring the youth, which she does by participating in various programs like, Big Brother Sisters, a School Board Program - Kids and the Power of Work and other informal mentorships.

Shortly after moving from Port-au-Prince to Philadelphia, Philippe quickly understood the importance of financial markets around the world. In 2009, he decided to change his major from Architecture to Finance. Driven by the motto “Hard work, dedication and motivation are the keys to success,” Philippe has explored a variety of areas in finance including Investment Banking, Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Raising, and New Business Development. His career includes over 10 years of professional experience in Finance working internationally and across multiple industries.

Philippe began working with Morgan Stanley in Wealth Management, and then used the knowledge and skills in banking to transition to a senior Financial Analyst position overseeing international projects in the LATAM region. He has also worked with the leading Haitian international investment family group in the Caribbean, with operations in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, St. Marteen, and offices in the U.S.; the group is the only family office from Haiti with gross revenues of $1 billion.

Throughout his career, Philippe has completed over $200 million of complex cross-border transactions with the World Bank, IFC and FMO, and multiple other financial institutions. One of the most recent projects Philippe was involved in included the development of an Integrated Economic Zone (“IEZ”). The IEZ, a multi-stage mega project in Haiti, includes a Panamax maritime port, a 24-megawatt power plant, a 320,000 m2 of customs-bonded industrial space, and commercial and residential properties.

Outside of school, he enjoys reading the Wall Street Journal, playing soccer, tennis, traveling around the world and learning about different cultures.  Philippe is a graduate of Florida Atlantic University and currently serves as FAU’s the Associate Director of Parking and Transportation.

Iselgis Garcia has served in her current role as Director of Operations for FAU’s College of Engineering and Computer Science since August 2018. In this role, Iselgis manages, directs and supervises all financial affairs for the College, as well as provides direct oversight for human resources matters related to both faculty and staff. She provides direct support to the Dean and works very closely with other members of the College Leadership Team to assess the performance of all College operations and develop strategic plans to ensure key performance indicators are met.

Prior to her role with FAU, Iselgis worked in non-profit accounting, finance and operations for over 20 years. During this time, she prepared financial forecasts and trend analyses to ensure financial and operational goals were met, developed and implemented financial and operational policies and procedures to ensure effectiveness and grant/contract regulatory compliance.

Iselgis earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 2015 from Western Governors University, and her MBA with a Concentration in Finance in 2018 from Florida Atlantic University.

Chris Hasse is the Associate Administrator for all surgical and procedural services at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Chris also serves as the secretary for the Clinical Practice Committee and Operations Coordinating Group. Chris joined Mayo Clinic in 2011 and has supported several clinical practices (gastroenterology, hepatology, cardiology, cardiac surgery, thoracic surgery and health care delivery research). Prior to joining Mayo Clinic, Chris was a project manager at Truman Medical Centers in Kansas City, Missouri.

Chris received his bachelor’s degree  (BSBA) and Master in Business Administration (MBA) from Rockhurst University (Kansas City, MO). He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and holds academic rank as Assistant Professor in Health Care Systems Engineering and Health Care Administration within the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. Chris is a certified six sigma black belt (CSSBB) through the American Society for Quality. He serves as an adjunct professor at the University of North Florida and course instructor for the Mayo Clinic Quality Academy. Chris and Katie (wife) have two handsome boys and reside in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. They enjoy traveling, outdoor activities (hiking, watersports, etc.) and spending time with family and friends.

Felix LaCroix is a licensed CPA and the CFO at Erba Diagnostics, Inc. in Miami, FL. His public accounting and corporate experience include working in finance and accounting for large and medium entities, operating in complex industries including biomedical and medical devices, healthcare, private equity, automotive, life sciences, and technology.

For several years, Felix served in public accounting working with “Big Four” public accounting firm EY, LLP and two other regional firms. His corporate experience includes financial planning and analysis, corporate reporting, treasury capital markets, and treasury cash management as well as an extensive amount of internal audit amassed while working with large fortune 500 companies such as AutoNation, Genuine Parts Company, and Southern Company.

Felix is also serving as an instructor with Becker CPA Professional Education teaching Audit, Financial Accounting and Regulation, Regulation, and Business Environments and Concepts.  In addition to the keen ability to convey his real-world experience to his audience, Felix can deliver a dynamic and enthusiastic picture of the subject matter in his presentations. His skills-set includes experience with finance, accounting, and auditing topics as well as extensive technical experience with various financial applications. 

Felix also possesses strong analytical, communications, and time management skills.  In addition, he has developed a solid foundation in internal auditing specifically working with the new COSO Integrated framework, SOX, operational compliance, and information technology.  

Felix holds a bachelor’s degree in international finance and marketing from the University of Miami, an MBA with a concentration in entrepreneurship from Nova Southeastern University, and a master’s degree in professional accounting from the University of Miami. He is a licensed CPA and is currently a candidate for an Executive PhD in Business with a concentration in Finance and Accounting at the Florida Atlantic University.  

Taylor is a Marketing, Brand Management  and Business Professional with leadership experience in world- class organizations including Siemens, Bright House Networks/Spectrum (Charter Communications), and currently the Walt Disney Company. 

Recognized as an innovative problem solver with a holistic strategic approach, analytical skills and creativity, Taylor has served in operational and marketing roles for various business units within the Walt Disney World Resort and Disney’s Worldwide Services for over two decades.

She joined Disney in 1998 as a Guest Service Assistant/Information Specialist for the company’s telecommunications division, and advanced to leadership positions with responsibilities including management of TelCom Convention Services functions for Disney’s  Grand Floridian, Yacht & Beach Club, Boardwalk, Coronado Springs and Contemporary Resorts, and departmental oversight of Training & Quality Assurance for the Walt Disney World Resort Call Center.

In 2000, Taylor progressed to the company’s brand management division and led marketing initiatives as Associate Marketing/Brand Manager supporting Walt Disney World Resorts and segments, and Marketing Manager for Disney’s Worldwide services supporting Casting Marketing for both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Having gained a reputation for translating data into strategy, and leveraging consumer insights to craft profitable customer experiences, Taylor has served on Disney R&D Task forces and Launch Teams for new resorts, corporate alliance partnerships and products such as Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney PhotoPass. 

After earning an MBA from the University of Miami, Taylor joined Siemens Shared Services as Manager of Communications,further expanding the scope of her experience to include international communications and B2B business development.

She subsequently joined Bright House Networks, the 6th largest internet provider in the United States, and progressively advanced from regional Director of Marketing to Director of Marketing & Sales for Florida and national markets.  In 2016, Taylor facilitated transition activities to support the company’s merger with Time Warner and Charter Communications and upon completion, began maternity leave.

Concurrent with her full-time positions at Siemens, Bright House and thereafter, Taylor continued in operational and special project roles part-time with the Walt Disney World Resort and recently celebrated 21 years of service.  In addition, Taylor facilitates consulting projects via Beyond Aha, a company that helps small businesses convert ideas into profitable outcomes.

Taylor holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Sociology, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami. Avid about contributing the the community, Taylor actively serves Disney VoluntEARS and various non-profit organizations in both Central and South Florida where she resides.

Randy Martin is the President of The King’s Academy, a National Blue Ribbon, college-preparatory, Christian preschool, elementary, and secondary school located in West PalmBeach, Florida. The school serves families with students from age one to twelfth grade on campuses located in Palm Beach County. Previously, he served as the school’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

Before King’s Academy, Randy worked in commercial real estate as Vice President, Accounting for Woolbright Development, Inc. as well as Vice President, Controller, and Chief AccountingOfficer for the New York Stock Exchange-listed CRT Properties, Inc. and Dycom Industries, Inc. He began his career as an auditor at the Big 4 accounting firm of Ernst & Young, LLP and is a Florida Certified Public Accountant, earning a Top 10 state score on the November 1995 CPA Exam. Randy holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Palm Beach Atlantic University, where he was the 1993 Outstanding Graduate, and a Master of Accounting (public accounting) from FAU. He has also served as a trustee of Palm Beach Atlantic University and Hope Project International.

 Randy, his wife and children live in West Palm Beach. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and being in the great outdoors; hiking and boating. In 2012, he took his family on a 67,000 mile RV tour of all 50 states.

Danita currently serves as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement for FAU and Chief Executive Officer ffor Florida Atlantic University Foundation. Danita is a preeminent expert in fundraising, strategic planning and institutional leadership thanks to more than 20 years of experience in higher education advancement and campaigns.

FAU hired her in 2016 to catapult the university into a new era of excellence; as leaderof a 50-person advancement team, Danita oversees all aspects of FAU’s fundraising program, including principal gifts, data management, alumni and volunteer relations and communications. In her short tenure, she set two consecutive fundraising records and reduced the cost-per-dollar raised by 62.5 percent. She is spearheading FAU’s first comprehensive capital campaign in two decades.

Prior to FAU, Danita rose through the ranks at the University of Florida, the state’s flagship institution. Over five years, she was promoted from positions in alumni relations to external affairs, and finally to Senior Associate Vice President for External Affairs, where she was responsible for a portfolio of major donors and prospects as well as UF’s $3 billion campaign strategy and volunteer structure.

From 1995 to 2011, Danita held numerous senior-level positions at the University of Maryland, including Assistant Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations during the university’s $1 billion campaign. In addition to her higher education experience, she worked in private industry for 14 years at global giants Xerox Corporation and Learning International.

She has a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in personnel and labor relations from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at Maryland, and a master’s degree in international relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

Janine is the Health Services Administrator for the Office of Health Services in the Florida Department of Corrections, where she provides her over 15 years of experience in human resources, management, marketing, and health services to oversee a multidisciplinary team of medical, dental, mental health, nursing, technical, clerical and support services.

Janine earned her Bachelor of Business Adminstration from (CUNY) Baruch College and her Master of Business Administration from Barry University. She also has post-graduate certifications in human resource management and project management.

John is the Director, Fleet Operations Center at Carnival Cruise Line. In his current role John is responsible for overseeing the shoreside operational support to Carnival’s fleet of 26 ships, including managing the 24/7 watch team. The Fleet Operations Center, opened in 2017, integrates support and responses from eleven operational departments to provide immediate support for ships; issues, maintain situational awareness for company executives, and coordinate immediate crisis response operations.

John, a native of Slidell, La, graduated from the University of Oklahoma with his bachelor’s degree in Electric Engineering, and has his MBA from FAU. He served as an active duty U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer from 2002 to 2009 and has continued to serve as a Navy Reserve officer since them. While on active duty, John conducted three deployments to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf. As a reservist, he has held Commanding Officer positions in a Littoral Combat Ship maintenance support unit, an amphibious craft unit, and a carrier strike group training support command.

John is married and has two daughters. In his spare time, he enjoys travelling, spending time with family, and letting his daughters win at Mario Kart.

Joel’s background includes both banking and government. In his role as Head of the Residential Loan Department at Sun Trust Bank, he worked with personal Loans and home refinancing; he has also won many banking awards. Joel shifted his focus to serve in the public industry.

Graduating Summa Cum Laude with his master’s degree in Public Administration from Lynn University, he was hired as an Honors Scholar with the Social Security Administration to join their management group. Joel's service with the Social Security Administration includes working in West Palm Beach and Margate, Florida as well as Santa Barbara, California and Baltimore, Maryland.

Sara has extensive experience in supply chain management, operations, and logistics. She has worked and advised many large corporations in the U.S. and abroad. As a management consultant, Sara is currently working with AutoNation, leading multiple application development projects that are focused on creating a platform for services that the company provides to its 270 stores nationwide.

Prior to joining AutoNation, she worked with Lennar leading a major implementation project in the building and housing industry using digital management, big data, artificial intelligence, and prefabricated buildings.

Sara received her Master of Business Adminstration from Florida Atlantic University, and she has recently also distinguished herself as an entrepreneur working on a new line of vegan and organic beauty products that will launched in 2019. As a vegan, she is passionate about spreading veganism by helping and assisting vegan companies, organizations, and entrepreneurs. She is currently managing several existing projects.

Dan is the CEO of Seulu, LLC and RingMastered, LLC is a real estate developer and operator in the senior housing sector.   He has a keen interest in researching the future, convergent and dynamic roles between entertainment, hospitality and healthcare. 

He has served in healthcare since 1979, is an LNHA in 7 states, has operated facilities under emergency permits in 2 additional states and has been appointed by CMS as a Temporary Manager.

Dan holds an Master of Art in Corporate Communication and a Bachelor of Art in Psychology. He is also the author of the leadership book, Taming Tigers. He has appeared on Fox News, CNN, Fox Business Channel, the New York Times and many other International media outlets.

George has over 30 years working in the field of accounting. During that time, he has assisted small, medium and large organizations succeed. George has also helped various not-for-profit organizations as a volunteer and often participates in various fund raising activities for organizations in South Florida. George has served on several boards for the City of North Lauderdale. He is looking forward to help raise the bar in South Florida for leadership within the community.

Jeffrey N. Weiss, M.D. is the former Chief of Retinal Surgery at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Faculty of Harvard Medical School, and Visiting Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Weiss entered college at 16 years of age, and medical school at age 19 on full scholarships. While in medical school, he obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude with distinction, and graduated from Medical School, Summa Cum Laude, at 23 years of age.

Dr. Weiss is the author of more than 100 publications, including 11 books, holds more than 20 U.S. and foreign patents and has been a reviewer for multiple scholarly journals. He has served as a Visiting Professor, performed surgery, and lectured nationally and internationally. He was a finalist for the United Arab Emirates HealthCare Award in 2018 and 2019. He is also the founder of two profitable companies, Ocular Research Associates Inc., and Micron Ophthalmic, Inc., which have manufactured and sold Dr. Weiss’ inventions worldwide.

Dr. Weiss performed the first retinal stem cell surgery in the world in 2010 and is the Principal Investigator of The Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Studies I/II, the largest retinal and optic nerve stem cell studies in the world, The Neurologic Stem Cell Treatment Study, The Stem Cell Spinal Cord Injury Exoskeleton and Virtual Reality Treatment Study, and The Alzheimer’s, Cognitive Impairment and Autism Treatment Study. The studies are Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved, registered with NIH and listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.