Board of Directors

We are deeply grateful to our dedicated Board of Directors, whose commitment and expertise play a vital role in advancing our mission. As an entirely volunteer board, these remarkable individuals generously dedicate their time, energy, and passion to guiding our organization, strengthening our community impact, and ensuring that we continue to provide essential support to the families we serve. Their leadership and stewardship empower us to overcome challenges and create meaningful, lasting change, making a profound difference in the lives of children and families every day. We sincerely thank each board member for their invaluable service and partnership.

Executive Committee

Board President

David Koester currently serves as Board President of Ronald McDonald House Charities SWFL and has been a member of the Board since 2020. As Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida, Inc., David provides oversight to our Lee County Care Mobile. A 20-year resident of Lee County, David has been active with and participates in numerous community groups, including the Future Makers Coalition, the Youth Council of the Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board, Leadership Lee, and Kiwanis. He and his wife live in South Fort Myers and have four sons.

Vice President

Elizabeth Cameratta currently serves as Board Vice President of Ronald McDonald House Charities SWFL and as a Board Member of the Devonwood Homeowners Association. Elizabeth previously worked as a Pharmaceutical Sales Manager and served as a Development Associate for the Florida Repertory Theater in Fort Myers. Elizabeth co-chaired the Canterbury School’s Annual Fundraiser, The Extravaganza. Elizabeth was also a member of the Canterbury School Master Plan Committee. Elizabeth enjoys any and all family activities with her husband, Dominic, and their two children, Joey and Ella. Elizabeth graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from The Ohio State University.

Secretary

Gabrielle O’Boyle currently serves as the Board Secretary of Ronald McDonald House Charities SWFL. She is a communications and marketing strategist at Healthcare Network, a Federally Qualified Health Center serving Collier County, Florida. She oversees public relations, branding, digital communications, and internal messaging. Her work spans media relations, donor outreach, staff communications, social media, and web content, supporting both external visibility and internal alignment. Gabrielle helps advance the organization’s mission through clear, consistent messaging and a strategic, integrated approach to communications.

Treasurer

Cindy Cross bio coming soon!

Parliamentarian

Ron Scudder currently serves as the Board Parliamentarian of Ronald McDonald House Charities SWFL. Born and educated in Paterson, New Jersey, Ron served four years in the United States Air Force before beginning a civilian career. He started as a mechanical assembler while attending RCA Institutes in New York City, where he completed a course in Electronic Circuits and Systems to develop his technical skills. This training led to a position as an entry-level technician at Motorola Communications. Within three years, he was promoted to manager of a portable communications depot located in the Empire State Building. He later moved into sales, serving state and local markets throughout New York City, its five boroughs, and nearby counties, working closely with police, fire, and municipal departments. His career then progressed into field service, where he became a communications service shop manager, and eventually District Service Manager for New Jersey. In that role, he oversaw authorized service centers and led a team of five service representatives. His career concluded with leadership positions as Area Service Markets Manager and Area Service Bid & Quote Manager. During this time, he also earned a degree in Organizational Management Behavior from Montclair College. After retiring to Florida, Ron volunteered with Big Brothers and spent ten years as a middle school substitute teacher, earning the distinction of “Substitute Teacher of the Year” in 2009. In his free time, he enjoys nature photography, reading, and staying active.

Past President

Richard DeStefano served as Board Treasurer from September 2018 through December 2022, was Board President for 2023 and 2024, and currently serves as Immediate Past President. His passion for the charity comes from recognizing the support it offers families during their most difficult times. Richard dedicated many years to working for three major corporations before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey. He currently operates a boutique accounting and consulting firm that serves local small businesses, provides trust management services, and acts as a court-appointed professional guardian. Richard moved to Fort Myers in 2011, where he began volunteering as a business mentor for SCORE before joining our board. He loves all four seasons in Southwest Florida and is an avid boater in his free time.

Members

Sandra Aguilar

Sandra Aguilar is passionate about helping people find and sell their perfect homes, finding joy in being part of such an exciting and meaningful journey. With 10 years of experience in real estate and a background in marketing and public relations, she brings a creative and personal touch to every interaction. Outside of her professional life, Sandra is a proud wife and mother who treasures time with her family, whether boating through the beautiful waters of Southwest Florida or relaxing with a great book. She is also honored to serve on the board of Ronald McDonald House Charities, an organization that holds a special place in her heart. Supporting families during challenging times is a deeply humbling experience that inspires her daily. Sandra believes life is about building genuine connections and creating moments that truly matter—both in her work and within her community.

Mary Colina-Fowler

Mary Colina-Fowler is a dedicated and service-driven attorney practicing personal injury and real estate law in Golden Gate City. Originally from Cuba, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of New Brunswick in Canada before moving to Naples, Florida, where she received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Ave Maria School of Law. Mary is passionate about giving back and has been actively involved in community service throughout her career. She serves on the board of directors for Literacy Collier and Ronald McDonald House Charities and volunteers with animal rescue organizations. Professionally, she is a member of several legal and civic organizations, including the Collier County Women’s Bar Association, Collier County Bar Association, the Florida Justice Association (Eagle Member), and the Naples Area Board of Realtors. With her strong legal expertise and deep community ties, Mary is known for being both a compassionate advocate and a committed leader.

Deana Homsi

Deana graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Food and Nutrition and a minor in Pre-Physical Therapy. She began her career in genetics research at Baylor College of Medicine, where she worked for two years before returning to Florida to support her family’s McDonald’s business. In 2007, Deana became a McDonald’s Owner/Operator, partnering with her father to manage six restaurants. After a successful career, she retired in 2022 to focus on traveling and spending time with her family. Deana and her husband are proud parents of two wonderful teenagers—one currently attending the University of Central Florida and the other enrolled at Evangelical Christian School. In her free time, Deana enjoys being with her family and their beloved dog, Waffle. Together, she and Waffle regularly visit Ronald McDonald House Charities to bring smiles and comfort to guests and volunteers.

Michelle Macias

Michelle’s bio is coming soon!

Melissa Montes Blanco

Melissa Montes is a third-generation McDonald’s Owner/Operator, born and raised in Miami, with deep roots in the restaurant business. Her family legacy began with her grandparents and parents, who opened their first McDonald’s—and the Florida Region’s 30th Anniversary restaurant—in Little Havana in 1985. Melissa officially joined her family’s organization in 2008 while earning degrees in Finance and International Business from Florida International University. She later completed her MBA in Marketing from the University of Miami, where she interned with McDonald’s Corporation in Oak Brook, contributing to global performance analysis and marketing initiatives. After rejoining the Montes Organization as a supervisor in 2012, Melissa entered the Next Generation Program and became an approved Owner/Operator in 2014. She has since played a key role in developing crew and manager training programs, launching McDelivery, and leading operations and marketing alongside her sister, Kristina. She actively partners with local schools and charities to support community events and fundraising. Melissa also serves on the Board of the Women Owners Network (WON as the Communications Officer. She previously served as WON’s OPNAD Lead on the Brand & Menu Team and the 2023 WON Conference Co-Chair. Outside of work, Melissa enjoys life with her husband, Orlando, their two daughters, Adrienne and Lauren, and their rescue dog, Loki.

Carey Randall

Carey Randall was born and raised in Texas before transferring and graduating from the American Community School in Beirut, Lebanon. She attended Bennington College and later lived in New Orleans until 1967, when she moved to Virginia after her husband accepted a staff appointment to the U.S. Senate. He would go on to establish a law practice in Washington, D.C. Carey built a distinguished career at the Smithsonian Institution, retiring in 1999 as Associate Publisher for Administration (CAO/CFO) of Smithsonian magazine. Her advocacy work began on a deeply personal level when her only child was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at age three. Although he was successfully treated, he later passed away at age 48 from a secondary cancer. During his early treatment, Carey became involved with Candlelighters, a parent support group. At the request of the principal social worker and the director of the Children’s Hospital Hematology Oncology Department, she led the successful effort to establish the 16th Ronald McDonald House in Washington, D.C. A notable moment in that effort came when then–Second Lady Barbara Bush accepted Carey’s invitation to join the Ronald McDonald House Board of Directors just days after George H. W. Bush was elected Vice President. Mrs. Bush remained a dedicated supporter of RMHC both locally and nationally for many years. Today, more than fifty years later, Ronald McDonald House Charities continues to be Carey Randall’s principal charitable passion.

Bryan Rodriguez

Bryan Rodriguez is a proud McDonald’s Owner/Operator serving the Miami-Dade and Collier County communities in South Florida. A graduate of Florida International University, Class of 2013, Bryan is passionate about giving back. Currently, he serves as a board member for Kids & Clays, a national organization that supports Ronald McDonald Houses across the country. Outside of his professional commitments, Bryan enjoys competitive shooting and hunting. He is also a devoted husband to his wife, Stephanie, and a proud father to their daughter, Sienna.

Susan Ryckman

Susan Ryckman is a retired healthcare executive and pediatric nurse practitioner with a long and distinguished career in pediatric healthcare. She joined Lee Health in 2012 and served as Vice President of Operations and Chief Nurse Executive for Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida until her retirement in September 2020. Originally from the Chicago area, Susan earned her undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University in 1977 and later completed a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati. Over the years, she held a variety of clinical and leadership roles at leading institutions including Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago (now Lurie Children’s Hospital), Columbus Children’s Hospital (now Nationwide Children’s Hospital), and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she served for 15 years as Senior Clinical Director of the Heart Institute. She also taught as a faculty member at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Susan and her husband, Fred—a retired pediatric surgeon—have owned a home on Sanibel Island since 2001. Deeply rooted in the area, Fred’s parents moved to Sanibel in the early 1970s. Together, Susan and Fred have five grown children and eight grandchildren, who are the joy of their lives. Susan remains active in the community, serving on the Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House Charities, as Vice Chair of the Board of F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva, and as a member of 100+ Women Who Care (Sanibel/Captiva). She and Fred have also participated in medical mission work both in the U.S. and abroad.

Emad Salman, MD

Emad Salman, MD, is the VP & Chief Physician Executive for Children’s Services at Golisano Children’s Services. Dr. Salman received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, and completed his pediatric residency and fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the University of Florida. He is board-certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Salman established the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology program at the Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida in 1997. He was honored with the Prendergast Award for Commitment to Children’s Advocacy in 2012. He received a lifetime achievement award from the Lee County Medical Society in 2016. Dr. Salman received Gulf Shore Life Magazine’s Man of the Year award in November 2018 and was the honoree at the 2021 Lee County Medical Society Cattle Barron Ball. He has been a voice for the children in Southwest Florida for over 25 years and was actively involved in the design of the new Golisano Children’s Hospital, which opened in May 2017.

Harold Weeks

Harold Weeks is a retired Fire Captain who served with the Brockton, Massachusetts Fire Department for 25 years. A graduate of both high school and community college, he holds an associate degree in fire science. He proudly considers himself a lifelong learner, continually embracing the lessons life has to offer. In retirement, Harold devotes his time to volunteering and community service. He serves on the boards of CCRP, CFCRB, and FOCCM, and is also the guardian of an individual with cerebral palsy. For the past year, he has been a dedicated member of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Board of Directors. Harold’s passion for volunteerism stems from a deep sense of gratitude for the life he’s lived. He views his service not only as a way to give back, but also as a means to promote fairness and opportunity for others. He often says the “selfish” reason he volunteers is that it keeps his mind sharp and his body active. With time, energy, and a continued sense of purpose, Harold is committed to doing justice and giving back wherever he can.

Advisory Council

• Bob Atkinson
• Lee Bellamy
• Kathy Bridge-Liles
• Garey Butler
• Mike Castillo
• Paul Drucker
• Justin Einstein
• Beverly Fewster
• Heidi Frederic
• Tim Frederic
• Marcia Lovett
• Christina Meisenhelter
• Tina Millette
• Jeff Miloff
• Jennifer Novakovich
• Tom O’Reilly
• Michael Rubenstein
• Shahid Sultan, MD