Our Board | ICU Baby

Board of Directors

Drew Stoudt, MD

Drew Stoudt, M.D.

Chairman of the Board

Dr. Drew Stoudt is board certified in Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A practicing pediatrician for more than 20 years, he began his career in Miami as a pediatric hospitalist specializing in inpatient care at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. For the last 10 years, he has been in private practice at Gables Pediatrics, where he is a principal partner.

Drew graduated from the University of Virginia Medical School and completed his residency in pediatrics at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was also selected to serve as Chief Resident.

Since residency, he has been involved in the care of babies in the NICU and has a deep understanding of the medical complexities faced by these special patients, as well as the emotional and personal challenges faced by their families. He first learned about ICU baby and the organization’s amazing programs from the positive experiences many of his own patients had with the organization. Believing that helping NICU patients also requires assisting their families, he became an ardent supporter of ICU baby and a board member after discovering that co-founder Beth Simonton and her children are long-time members of the Gables Pediatrics family.

Nichole

Nichole Aldrich

Board Member

Nichole Aldrich is a former journalist and certified public accountant. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston College. Nichole was a TV news reporter for several cities in the Northeast including Boston. Before pursuing a career in journalism, she was a CPA with Ernst & Young.

Nichole is the mother of three children and serves on their school’s two boards, is a member of her church’s Stewardship Council and volunteers for several non-profit organizations. She joined Beth Simonton in founding ICU baby after the loss of her second baby. Because of her traumatic experience in the NICU, she wants to help other families navigate their journeys in the hospital. Specifically, Nichole wants to enable families to overcome any hurdles in visiting their babies and to make those visits more meaningful.

Shayna Dominguez

Shayna Dominguez

Board Member

Shayna Dominguez is a graduate of Florida State University with a bachaelor’s degree in International Affairs, St. Thomas University with a master’s degree in Education with a a concentration in Instructional Technology and is currently a doctoral candidate at Nova Southeastern University.

Shayna is the Assistant Director of Workplace Learning at Broward College. She has over ten years of higher education experience in student services, technology, accessibility and inclusion, and professional development. Her “why” is to connect people to the resources that enrich their lives, so they are empowered to serve.

Shayna is married to her high school sweetheart Alex and together they have one daughter Mahalia. Mahalia was born at 25 weeks and 3 days.

Ana Glass

Ana Glass

Board Member

Ana Glass is the Director of Premium Client Services at The Miami HEAT, where she has worked for over 13 years. Born in Ecuador, Ana moved to Miami when she was 9 years old and this has been home ever since. When she is not working, Ana is passionate about spending time near the ocean and traveling all over the world with her family.

Ana is the proud mother of her son, Cash, who had an extended NICU stay at South Miami Hospital. She and her husband experienced first-hand what ICU baby offers during a difficult time. She is honored to join the ICB baby Board of Directors and is excited to help other NICU families overcome the hardships and battles that naturally arise during hospital stays.

Nicolette Hartman

Nicolette Hartman

Board Member

Nicolette Hartman is the Head of Daversa Partners Miami office and one of the partners leading Daversa’s Global Consumer practice. Nicolette has spent the past decade building executive teams for consumer, retail, and healthcare companies across the globe. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with degrees in Communications and Journalism. Nicolette lives in Coconut Grove with her husband, daughter, and French bulldog.

Nicolette has a very personal connection to the cause, as her daughter was born 6 weeks premature in New York City. She and her husband were forced to navigate the NICU journey while COVID protocol was still in place. Nicolette also spent time in the antepartum unit of the hospital prior to Eleanor’s birth and she recounts that journey as having its own incredible challenges. ICU baby’s mission is close to Nicolette’s heart as she wishes she had the resources ICU baby provides to NICU families to help make our journey less lonely and stressful.

Prakash Mahtani

Prakash Mahtani

Board Member

Prakash Mahtani is a Director at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) with over 17 years of experience specializing in financial risk management, regulatory strategy, structured credit and derivative markets. Prakash has a particular focus helping to lead PwC’s financial product consulting services to assist clients in managing emerging market-based and regulatory change.

This work has focused on implementation of large-scale transformation initiatives, assessing processes and methodologies, risk and performance metrics, and reporting frameworks for major financial institutions and insurance companies.

Born and raised in New York, Prakash holds degrees in finance and accounting from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He relocated to Miami with his wife in early 2019 and welcomed their first child shortly thereafter. Prakash has witnessed the impact of the NICU experience for a handful of close family and friends. He is acutely aware of the range of emotions parents experience with the birth of a child and empathizes with those enduring challenges associated with a NICU stay. He is passionate about ICU Baby’s mission and is focused on assisting the organization strategically grow and reach more families.

Chelsea Mandler

Chelsea Mandler

Board Member

Chelsea Mandler is an attorney, though currently spends her time caring for her children and supporting ICU baby. Chelsea graduated with her Bachelors degree from Florida State University and her Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University.

Chelsea is a mother of three and is married to her husband Nathan. Her involvement with ICU baby began when her third child was born 9 weeks prematurely and spent 1 month in the NICU. During that time, Chelsea saw the impact ICU baby has on families and has since dedicated much of her time to helping others in similar situations. In 2023, Chelsea chaired ICU baby’s inaugural Little Miracles Luncheon, honoring and celebrating former NICU families, and bringing awareness to the community about the difference ICU baby makes in people’s lives. She is excited to continue chairing this beautiful and special event. Chelsea is honored to join the ICU baby Board of Directors and is driven to help other NICU families feel less alone in their journeys.

Carolina

Carolina Mazuera

Board Member

Carolina Mazuera is the Senior Vice-President of Supply Chain & Procurement for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, where she oversees relationships with suppliers across multiple categories. Prior to joining NCLH, Carolina was a consultant with McKinsey & Company, where she advised clients across multiple industries on a wide range of topics, primarily strategic planning, productivity improvement, and operational excellence.

She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia with a major in Industrial Engineering and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia Business School.

Carolina is the proud mother of two boys. She has been a strong supporter of ICU baby and as a board member, she brings her wealth of experience to advise ICU baby on operations and expansion in order to reach more South Florida NICU families.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Simonton

Board Member

Elizabeth Simonton is an attorney and former small business owner, who started the NICU Families Fund with her former Husband, Louis Freeman, in 2014 after having a NICU experience of their own. ICU baby was developed in 2015 to broaden and extend the mission of the NICU Families Fund. Elizabeth received her B.S. from Furman University with a double major in psychology and political science and graduated Cum Laude from the University of Richmond Law School in 2005.

Elizabeth serves on the Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative Committee, the Executive Council of the Family Centered Care Taskforce and is a member of the NICU Parent Network’s Board of Directors. She was named a 2019 Miami Leader by the Miami Foundation and is a graduate of Radical Partners’ Social Entrepreneurship Bootcamp’s Cohort 6. Elizabeth is also a member of Leadership Miami’s Cohort 42 and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Elizabeth is the loving mother of 3 children, the youngest of which is her NICU baby. Elizabeth believes that every parent should have the opportunity to be at their baby’s hospital bedside and she is passionate about removing barriers for NICU parents to be able to accomplish that.

Gloria Fonts Suárez

Gloria Fonts Suarez

Board Member

Gloria Fonts Suarez is owner of Cymbidium Events, a boutique event planning firm in South Florida. She began her career as Catering Sales Manager at the Biltmore Hotel, she then joined the catering team at the Four Seasons Hotel Miami. Her extensive industry background, paired with her degree in Hospitality Management, offers her clients a unique perspective when planning both social and corporate events.

Gloria is a proud mother of two children and resides in the Coconut Grove area with her husband, City of Miami Mayor, Francis Suarez.

ICU baby heart logomark

Thank You to Our Past Board Members

Ani Buraglia – Fernandez Pave the Way Foundation

Ana Fernandez Buraglia (Ani) is a Miami native, born and raised. She spent her four college years at Villanova University, just outside of Philadelphia, PA, and two years in San Diego at San Diego State University where she got a Masters in Arts in Communications. Following graduation in May of 2007, she accepted the position as Executive Director of the newly formed Fernandez Pave the Way Foundation. She has been in that position since then, learning about the needs in the South Florida community, and working hard to address them. The broad mission of the Foundation is to “help people create a more sustainable life for themselves and their families, particularly through education”. Her ultimate goal through the Foundation is to create meaningful change through partnerships with, and commitments to organizations who work to help those who are most vulnerable in this society. Ani is a Founding Board Member of a local non-profit organization called ICU baby, committed to supporting families with babies in the NICU. With programming at South Miami Hospital and Holtz Children’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial Hospital, ICU baby has successfully reached hundreds of families and provided them with in-hospital support, as well as transportation aid to facilitate time with their babies. She has two children (10 and 8), and is highly involved in their school, co-chairing a service-based curriculum and community building effort. It is her hope that through this initiative, students and families will have the opportunity to learn about the needs of their community, and forge relationships with neighbors in need.

Stephanie Rosado – Cultivate PR

Stephanie Rosado is Partner and Social Media Director at Cultivate PR. She is recognized for her expertise in digital communications, representing clients in various industries in the luxury sector. She has executed award-winning campaigns for top brands such as Rolls Royce, Clear Eyes, and The Ritz Carlton and was named as a finalist at PR News’ Social Media Awards in New York City. She was also honored as a Top 20 Professional Under 40 by Brickell Magazine. Stephanie is an active member of Beaux Arts Miami and volunteers for Give Back for Special Equestrians, which supports therapeutic horseback riding for children with disabilities. Stephanie studied marketing & communications at Instituto Marangoni in Paris and at the University of Miami in her hometown. Stephanie spends her leisure time with her family, husband, Carlos Sr., and their son, Carlos Jr., who was born 28 weeks early at South Miami Hospital and spent months in the NICU. Her family was touched by their personal experience with ICU baby through a troubling time, therefore she is naturally proud to serve on the board of directors to extend a helping hand to others going through a similar ordeal.

Leah MG Jayanetti – ICU baby Founding Board Member

Leah Jayanetti has had a lifelong passion for maternal health and NICU babies. On her path to turning her passion into purpose, she graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina with a B.S. in Exercise Science and continued her education at Duke University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She went on to practice pediatric physical therapy with a focus on NICU follow-up and early intervention. She is also a certified perinatal mental health specialist and trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and trauma informed care. She has lectured to universities and hospitals on the importance of the appropriate NICU environment for developing babies and their families. Leah is a founding member and Director of Programs and Education for ICU baby. There she leads a team of NICU Parent Mentors who provide in-hospital bedside support and tele-support to NICU and bereaved families. She authored ICU baby’s NICU Empowerment Support Tools program including the My NICU Baby Book, a journal and guidebook for NICU families, and the NEST Video series. Leah has 3 school-aged children and her journey as a mother coupled with her professional experience drives her to seek the best care for NICU babies and their families.

Jorge E. Mendia, MD – Miami Gynecology LLC

Dr. Jorge Mendia has been in private practice as an obstetrician gynecologist for the past 27years. During that time he has seen first hand the difficulties that families endure when theirbabies are in the NICU. He believes that the medical teams in the NICUs work diligently on thebabies, however the families struggle because of the lack of interpersonal support that ICUBaby provides in the hospitals it serves. That is one of the reasons Jorge joined the ICU babyboard. He wants to support ICU baby’s mission through his lifetime of healthcare experience.Dr. Mendia is one of the founders of the Key Biscayne Community Foundation whose goal is toempower individuals, like ICU baby founders Beth Simonton and Nichole Aldrich, to achievetheir philanthropic goals. He is also involved with the Village of Key Biscayne having served onthe Village Council for eight years, four of those years as Vice Mayor.Dr. Mendia has an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and a medical degreefrom the University of Miami. He is married to Cristi Mendia and has three children and two grandchildren.

Ruby Ann Bacardi – Maison D’Olenzo

Ruby Bacardi is the mother of two young boys. She gave birth in 2016 to her first son, whosuffered from a condition called Gastroschisis. During his 3 month stay in the NICU, Rubyexperienced, first hand, support from ICU baby. She joined the ICU baby board to share herNICU experience and be a voice for NICU parents.Ruby enjoys spending time with her children, husband and five dogs and is currently workingon the launch of her women’s clothing line and retail store in Miami. Prior to motherhood,Ruby worked in New York as a Fashion Director for women’s Fashion Designer, Richie Rich. Ruby attended Institiuto Marangoni in Paris and graduated from Miami InternationalUniversity of Art and Design.

Rafael Urquidi – JP Morgan

Rafael Urquidi is a Financial Advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors where he advises private andinstitutional clients from various industries on how to invest capital and manageintergenerational wealth. Prior to joining WFA, Rafael worked at UBS, Credit Suisse andBarclays in different roles, as an analyst, fixed income investment associate, derivatives trader,forex trader and relationship manager. He graduated from the University of South Carolinawith majors in Economics and Finance. Rafael has three children, but it was his oldest daughter Ila who had a NICU experience whichconnected Rafael to ICU baby. He and his family are grateful for Ila’s health and recovery andhave a commitment to help NICU families. Rafael’s personal NICU experience and his extensivefinancial background are assets to ICU baby and it’s board of directors.