Executive Board

Executive Board

Laura Reiss photo

Laura Reiss

Founder

Laura has always believed in a world where people support and celebrate each other. In 2008, she harnessed this belief and started the first Kindness program at Sunrise Park Elementary in Boca Raton, FL, where her children attended school. This kindness movement that began as a single club became the Kindness Matters 365 Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that educates and inspires children about being kind to themselves, others, and the world.

Through extraordinary programs nourished with Gratitude, Compassion, and Kindness, Kindness Matters 365 equips kids and teens with knowledge and skills for their social and emotional well-being. We empower their exploration and discovery in caring for themselves and each other today and for a better future. Through founding KM365, Laura has created what she believes is the answer to empowering our youth by giving them the tools necessary to powerfully navigate life and give back, all while being their best versions. Laura believes in a kinder world and works towards this every day.

Karin Gellen photo

Karin Gellen

President

Karin is the Executive Director of KM365 and a graduate of Emory University who dedicates her personal and professional life to living alongside the community of others. She brings experience and knowledge to KM365 in startups, operations, management, customer service, board governance, and talent acquisition. As Executive Director, Karin works passionately to strengthen operations, develop and manage programs and talent, cultivate and integrate the Foundation’s vision, build curriculum, fundraise, and write/administer grants.

Outside of KM365, she is a Mom to Dani and Andrew, a consultant to HopeGel®, on the Advisory Board of Wish A Book, Board President of Bucks for Buddy, and Vocal Department President at Dreyfoos School of the Arts. Karin was formerly a partner for an international talent acquisition firm, a human resource professional and recruiter, and a successful small business owner.

Karin began her involvement with KM365 as an Ambassador when her two children were in Palm Beach County public schools. She has been passionately involved with KM365 ever since and believes her work at KM365 is her calling; that KM365 programming will help our kids attain social and emotional well-being. And that the result of it all will be a better life for our children and a kinder world for future generations.

Andrew Reiss, MD photo

Andrew Reiss, MD

Chair/Secretary

Andrew earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences in 1991. He went on to earn his MD from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1998. He completed his residency training in Pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and is a board-certified pediatrician with Pediatric Associates in Boca Raton, FL.

He recognizes the importance of teaching and guiding children toward success in his work and personal life. Through his longtime work with Kindness Matters 365, he has seen how contributing to our local community and participating in charitable events and organizations help children achieve these goals. His commitment and invaluable contributions to KM365 are an extension of his professional passion and daily work.

Summer Faerman photo

Summer Faerman

Vice President

Summer could have been fast-tracked to a high-powered legal career. The Miami Beach native graduated from the University of Florida at 19, triple majoring in Business, English, and Religion. She was accepted into Harvard Law School but had bigger plans to go out and change the world. Summer took a deferment to work for a law firm, but billable hours weren’t on her bucket list. Giving back is her actual fuel and passion.

Summer finds this fuel in her 9-to-5 as director of the Tzedakah, Learning, and Chesed (TLC) Program at Boca’s B’nai Torah Congregation. Under the TLC umbrella, she built the first Little Free Pantry, a public food cabinet, outside the Salvation Army on Southwest Second Avenue in Boca Raton. She has since installed dozens more, from Coral Springs to Lake Worth Beach, all stocked multiple times daily.

Fighting food insecurity is one of many ways Summer gives back. The Boca Raton-based mother of two volunteers for more than 15 local and national organizations, cooks for people without homes as part of Love Outreach Boca, and is proud to serve on the KM365 Executive Board.

Frank Marangos, D.Min., Ed.D., FCEP photo

Frank Marangos, D.Min., Ed.D., FCEP

Treasurer

Frank has over 40 years of experience in management and development with religious, educational, business, and non-profit entities providing organizational consulting, assessment, leadership development, instructional training, strategic fundraising, communication, and personalized coaching.

Frank is a Fellow in Charitable Estate Planning (FCEP). He holds a doctoral degree in Adult Education and Ministry and Childhood Education. He is a Certified Practitioner and Interpreter of Myers-Briggs Type Instruments (MBTI), providing vital psychometric information for leadership, team building, professional learning communities, and organizational development. As Founder and CEO of OINOS Educational Consulting Company and a Senior Business Coach and Consultant for AWAKE Consulting Group, Frank has provided training and support to entrepreneurial leaders on various business and marketing strategies.

Frank previously served as a Managing Director for O’Meara Ferguson, a highly specialized financial services and development counseling firm. Most recently, he served as Director of Development and Communications for The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County. Frank is a sought-after grant writer and nationally certified Distance Learning Leader. His favorite place to visit is Maui, and he enjoys fly fishing in his spare time.

Anthony Bacchus photo

Anthony Bacchus

Director

Anthony is from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and has played drums since 1978. He founded Palm Beach Community Artist Presentations and Performance (PBCAPP), which promotes performance opportunities for the Palm Beach County Community. He’s also the founder and CEO of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Cultural Arts Performance and Education Universal (CAPE).

A Nonprofit First Rising Leader Graduate of 2018, Anthony was Director of the Milagro Teen Center from 2013 to 2021. He turned a drop-in center for underserved youth into a fully structured afterschool program. He implemented middle and high school programs to provide kids and teens with academic enrichment, cultural arts, and mentorship resources and opportunities.

Anthony is also a Master African Caribbean drum teacher and performs spiritual and healing facilitations throughout South Florida. He has a passion for working with children. He is active in the community, planning and participating in many impactful events and initiatives in Palm Beach County, empowering youths by engaging them in entrepreneurship, dancing, drumming, and live art. Anthony also created the Milagro and Spady Museum’s inaugural presentation of the Black History Youth Awareness Arts Festival in 2022. He transcends spiritual energy through the drums and love and is proud to serve on the KM365 Board of Directors.

Dido Balla photo

Dido Balla

Director

Dido is a passionate speaker, educator, and entrepreneur who graduated with a Master of Science in Secondary Education from the Johns Hopkins University School of Education. He has seven years of experience as a high school teacher, and he is also the founder of a non-profit organization called FitLit. His mission is to use a blended curriculum of fitness and literacy to empower youth. As an experienced brain trainer, Dido has positively impacted hundreds of parents and educators and thousands of students in emotional intelligence, mindful awareness, and positive psychology.

His work has expanded throughout the United States and abroad in Jordan and Brazil. Dido is currently the Director of Educational Innovation and Partnerships for the Goldie Hawn Foundation, where his focus is to maximize the impact of MindUP in schools, communities, and families. He is on a mission to make the world a happier, more productive, and more fulfilled place for all.

Melissa Cohen, Esq. photo

Melissa Cohen, Esq.

Director

Melissa is a transformative coach and national speaker, providing students with the tools to instill a growth mindset, foster grit, direct perspective, understand vulnerabilities, and expand their toolbox to empower students to live a flourishing life of well-being in pursuit of their passions. Melissa joins her professional strengths in Business/Operational Leadership and Organizational/Cultural Development with the tools, insights, and applications grounded in the science of well-being to offer a unique approach to early career and college major exploration to support the development and execution of a life vision and mission.

Melissa has a diverse background as a senior executive and corporate attorney, with an entrepreneurial drive that has evolved throughout a multi-faceted career spanning various industries and emerging markets. A sociologist and attorney by trade, trained in the practices of meditation, positive psychology, and mindfulness, Melissa has utilized her extensive experience in the corporate, legal, and mindfulness fields to teach and advocate social and emotional well-being in all aspects of life, and to guide students and employees through career decisions.

Melissa is actively involved in community outreach. She is a corporate executive, strategist and advisor, a University of Pennsylvania Alumni Interviewer, and a mom of two, to whom she has taught the importance of utilizing mindfulness and meditation in their daily lives to achieve their desired goals in pursuit of their passion, vision, and mission in life. She holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and a certificate in applied positive psychology. She is a licensed attorney in New York and Florida.

Josh Eidenberg photo

Josh Eidenberg

Director

Josh is a visionary entrepreneur and tech consultant who embodies creativity, innovation, strategic thinking, and a passion for kindness. As the founder of Future Proof, an app creation and software consulting firm, Josh has worked with Fortune 500 companies and leaders in the health and wellness space to uplift humanity and elevate consciousness.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Josh is an avid lover of pickleball, yoga, skiing, boating, and nature adventures with his fiancé and dog. His recreational pursuits reflect his dedication to self-care and joy.

Josh’s commitment to uplifting humanity goes further into every facet of his life. He is a leader in spreading kindness across the globe through many philanthropic endeavors. Through his diverse career, hobbies, and volunteer work, Josh is a beacon of transformation and kindness, standing up for personal development and inspiring those around him.

Allyson Harman photo

Allyson Harman

Director

With over fifteen years of fundraising experience and a fine arts background, Allyson brings a unique perspective to the KM365 team. She is a South Florida native with an undergraduate degree from the University of Miami and a Master of Fine Arts from New York University. Allyson is passionate about her role as Associate Vice President of the Southeast Region at American Friends of Tel Aviv University. She is dedicated to our local community, ensuring the next generation of children has access to the resources that Kindness Matters 365 provides and bettering the world one kind act at a time. Allyson resides with her family in Boca Raton, Florida.

Jill Siegel, MSW photo

Jill Siegel, MSW

Director

Jill is originally from the suburbs outside of Philadelphia and has lived in South Florida for over 20 years. She is the proud mother of two wonderful children, Drew and Carly, whom she considers her greatest accomplishment.

While Jill earned a BA in Psychology with a minor in Business Management and then obtained a Master of Social Work (MSW), she chose to stay home to focus on raising Drew and Carly. She helped her children learn, develop, and cope, emphasizing the importance of doing so with kindness, compassion, and gratitude.

Through work with her foundation, she has supported numerous causes of importance to her in the areas of healthcare, the arts, and education. She has also volunteered with multiple organizations, including literacy tutoring at Title 1 elementary schools and working with missions surrounding those with food and housing insecurities.

Jill was eager to become involved when learning about Kindness Matters 365, as its mission and work align perfectly with her values. She has seen firsthand the importance of the work they do in the community and is excited to be part of their continued impact both in South Florida and nationwide.

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Meet Our KM365 Advisory Board

Laurie Riopelle, Ed.D

Principal, Del Prado Elementary
Expertise: Education/Administration
Location: Palm Beach County, FL

Yohai Borenstein
Co-Founder, Aivante Solutions
Expertise: Corporate Finance
Location: Centennial, CO
Anne D.
Expertise: Specially-Abled Advocate
Location: Michigan
Sandy Gerstein
Founder, STC Concierge
Expertise: Organizational Oversight
Location: Boca Raton, FL
Joseph Zolobczuk, MS Ed.
Executive Director, YES Institute
Expertise: LGBTQ Diversity/Inclusion
Location: Miami, Florida
Caio Uruguai
Founder, True Kombat Training
Expertise: Anti-Bullying/Self-Defense
Location: Boca Raton, FL
Nandini M.
Expertise: Teen Programming
Location: North Carolina
Chris Purcell
Owner, Torque Advertising
Expertise: Branding/Graphic Design
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Carla Sadoff
Partner, Lumeri LLC
Expertise: Project Management/Strategy
Location: New York, NY
Sarena S.
Expertise: Teen Programming
Location: North Carolina