Friendship Circle is guided by a 25-member Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of a diverse group of medical professionals, philanthropists, executives, and community leaders, each committed to the mission of the organization. 

 

Board Chair

Michele Kaplan
Co-Founder, Families for Fragile X

After Michele Kaplan's son was born with Fragile X Syndrome, she co-founded Families for Fragile X in 2008, where she currently serves as President. 

Board Vice Chair

Tracey Berkowitz
Trustee, Fairholme Foundation

Tracey Berkowitz is the managing trustee of The Fairholme Foundation. Established in 2002, the Foundation supports artistic, educational, and religious non-profit organizations.

Board Treasurer

Alex Krys
Managing Member
Juniper Capital Partners, LLC

Alex is currently a Managing Member of Juniper Capital Partners, LLC. and is active in all of Juniper’s investments.

Board Secretary

Stacy Bolduc

Stacy has a passion for making the lives of people with special needs as fulfilling as possible, and knows what it takes to raise children who have special needs in our community!

Past Chair

David Evensky, RMA
Principal, Evensky & Katz/Foldes

 

 

 

 

Rossana Arteaga-Gomez
AXS Law Group

 

 

 

 

 

Judge Stanford Blake
Former Judge, 11th Judicial Circuit Principal, Stanford Blake Mediation

Stanford Blake brings his love of the law and people to South Florida as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediation, after 22 years as a highly respected judge who presided over many high profile trials and complex cases.

Monica Cantera-Serralta
Pan American Companies

 

 

 

 

Joel Zev Drizin
Entrepreneur

JZD is a father of five, and his two older daughters volunteered extensively for friendship circle - and still do! He is a philanthropist and entrepreneur, with holdings in real estate, spices, and data analytics.

Dr. Trevor Resnick, M.D.
Former Chief, Department of Neurology, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Miami School of Medicine

Dr. Resnick is a member of editorial boards of leading neurology journals and lectures widely in North America. His research interests have focused on the neurodevelopmental correlates and treatment of chronic epilepsy and co-morbid neurodevelopmental disorders.

Iva Ravindran
Ravindran Law Firm, PLLC

Iva is a trial attorney who fights for people. She represents women and men who have suffered as a result of unlawful employment practices, such as discrimination or retaliation, are facing criminal charges, or have been victims of sexual abuse.

Isaac Mizrahi
CEO
Alma Advertising

Libby Herrera-Navarette
Phillips, Richard and Rind, P.A.

 

 

 

 

Robert Josefsberg
Partner, Podhurst Orseck P.A.

He is the Founder and Managing Director of both KW Property Management and Consulting and RKW Residential, and is an accomplished accounting, finance and real estate professional.

 

Paul Kaplan
Co- Founder, KW Property Management

 

 

 

 

Barry Lapides
Partner/Shareholder
Berger Singerman, LLP

Barry is involved in a variety of civic organizations throughout Miami, including the AIPAC Club, Bet Tzedek’s Holocaust Services Project, and the 200 Club of Greater Miami. He served as the Previous Chair for the Anti-Defamation League’s Glass Leadership Institute for the Miami Chapter.

Jason Margulies
Partner, Lipcon, Margulies, Alsin & Winkleman, P.A.

 

 

 

 

Claudia Potamkin
Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Volunteer

Claudia Potamkin began her professional career in media as a sportscaster in the late 70’s, producing sports news for newstalk radio WNWS and ABC’s Channel 10, and broadcasting radio for Miami Hurricanes Baseball. Claudia has served on the boards of civic and charitable boards for over 40 years.

Commissioner Raquel Regalado 

Miami Dade County Commissioner
District 7

 As a community leader, she is most known for her strong advocacy for disabled children and adults, housing, seniors, fixing school facilities and transportation.

Nancy Veitia
Veitia Padron Inc.

A distinguished teacher for the Miami Dade County Public School System, Nancy was acknowledged by The National Nominating Committee of Academic Affairs as an educational leader and mentor. Nancy has had the pleasure to serve as Chair for her grade level team and was selected to be one of the educators to write the Common Core State Standards.

Joe Roisman
Executive Vice President
Perry Ellis International

Joe has been a treasure to our community, serving on the boards of the Beacon Council, Cancer Support Community of Miami,  Friendship Circle of Miami, Greater Miami Jewish Federation, The Dave and Mary Alper Jewish Community Center, South Dade Executive Council of AIPAC, and more.

Todd Ruderman
Tarco Properties, LLC & Value Store It Mgmt

As a partner for the past 8 years at Berger Singerman, he has concentrated his legal practice in complex commercial real estate and finance transactions. Additionally, he has extensive experience in the creation of condominiums (residential, commercial and mixed use) and master planned communities and the developer’s governance of same.

Rabbi Yossef Harlig
Executive Director

In 2003 Rabbi & his wife Nechama established the first Friendship Circle in Florida. Rabbi Harlig’s focus on impacting the community has led him to become a Hospital Chaplain, Police Chaplain and Prison Chaplain for the Miami Dade Police Dept. and the Pinecrest Police Dept.

Nechama Harlig
Co-Director

Nechama’s background in education and psychology, as well as her early career in teaching children of various ages has been instrumental in developing and growing all of the Friendship Circle programs as well as catering to the hundreds of teens who volunteer regularly in the Friendship Circle. Nechama’s passion is helping others and making a difference in our community.

DeWayne Terry
Partner, Rubenstein Law

After a brief professional sports career, he moved to South Florida to pursue his law degree at St. Thomas School of Law. In 2010, he joined Rubenstein Law where he went on to lead the firm’s Personal Injury Protection Litigation Division.