2023-2024 Board of Directors

President

Matthew Criscuolo

Matthew lives in Boca Raton and is an attorney with the law firm of Cozen O’Connor. A native Floridian, Matt graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and political science before heading to law school at Nova Southeastern University. He has been a member of the Literacy Coalition board since 2017 and is involved with several of our fundraising events.

 

Vice Presidents

Regine Bataille, M.D.

Dr. Regine Bataille lives in Delray Beach and is a pediatric physician at Gentle Medicine Associates in Boynton Beach and an avid Coalition volunteer and literacy advocate. In addition to chairing the Nominating and Hospitality Committees, Dr. Bataille participates in our Reach Out and Read program. As a physician, she partners with the Coalition to prepare young children for school success by providing books to families and stressing the importance of developing early literacy skills during well-child check-ups. Dr. Bataille is a graduate of medical school at the State University of Haiti.

Chris Duke

Christopher Duke serves as managing partner of Akerman’s Palm Beach County Offices. With a diverse practice in employment law and complex commercial litigation, Chris represents clients in federal and state courts, as well as in various arbitration forums and before federal, state, and local administrative bodies. His clients operate across multiple sectors, including hospitality, travel/recreation, healthcare, retail, financial services, and alternative energy. Chris routinely represents management and municipalities in matters relating to the ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, and Title VII, and prosecutes and defends both jury and bench trials. Chris also represents clients in fraud, tortious interference, business defamation, and breach of contract, and is seasoned in the enforcement and interpretation of non-competition agreements and the protection of trade secrets. Chris maintains a robust thought leadership profile, frequently conducting lectures to employers and trade groups on aspects of employment law and compliance. He has been continually ranked for his labor and employment acumen by The Best Lawyers in America, among other publications.

 

Secretary

Sharon Hill

Sharon Hill retired as the Assistant Library Director of Palm Beach County Library System in 2015. The Library System has been involved in the Literacy Coalition since its inception and offers one-to-one tutoring for adults who are learning to read and many activities that encourage children to develop a love of reading and learning. Sharon has served on the Coalition’s Board of Directors since 1999 and is currently the Chair of the Personnel Committee. She has also served on the Bylaws, Nominating and the Read Together committees. Sharon is a past president of the Palm Beach County Library Association and has served as the Chair of the Florida Library Association Planning Committee. She is a graduate of Florida State University and lives in West Palm Beach with her husband Bob.

 

Treasurer

Nicole Rocco

Nicole is a corporate attorney practicing General Corporate, Commercial Contracts, Corporate Governance, State and Local Sales/Use Tax, Regulatory and Compliance in West Palm Beach. She graduated cum laude with a J.D. from Samford University, Cumberland School of Law, an M.S. from Florida International University, and with a B.A. from Barry University. She has been on the Literacy Coalition’s board of directors since 2019 and lives in Palm Beach Gardens with her husband and two daughters.

 

 

Members at Large

Bernadette O’Grady *

Bernadette lives in Palm Beach Gardens and is the director of Programming and Media Convergence for WPTV NewsChannel 5. She has been a member of the Literacy Coalition board since 2000. She has served many roles on the board, including president from 2008-2010 and vice president from 2006-2008. Bernadette is a member of the Communications Committee, the Grand Bee Committee, and chaired the Love of Literacy Luncheon from 2011-2014, and again from 2018-2022. Bernadette also volunteers at all the Coalition’s annual fundraisers.

Nancy Vera

Nancy lives in Delray Beach and is a creative event professional with broad experience in the meeting planning and event management field. She has managed conferences, corporate incentive programs, annual meetings, and hospitality programs at sporting events. Nancy’s clients over the last 25 years include the NFL, Kraft Foods, Inc., the Miller Brewing Company, Volvo Car Corporation, Altria Group, Inc., Nationwide Insurance and Office Depot. She also has been involved with many major sporting events including the Super Bowl, the Olympics and The Masters. Nancy has served on the Executive Committee, co-chaired the Coalition’s American Girl Fashion Show and is the chair of the Literacy Links golf tournament. She is a graduate of Boston College.

 

Immediate Past President

Len Gray *

Len lives in West Palm Beach and is a retired human resources consultant. Previously, he was a partner at Mercer and Deloitte Consulting and held leadership roles in Cleveland, Chicago, Hong Kong, and New York. As a Literacy Coalition board member, Len has served as board secretary, sits on the Executive Committee, and has co-chaired the annual Loop for Literacy walk, bike and run and the Coalition’s Development Committee. He has been a volunteer and board member with several education and learning organizations over the year. Len is a graduate of Lehigh University and Case Western Reserve University, where he earned his MBA.

 

Parliamentarian

Laurie L. Gildan*

Laurie lives in North Palm Beach and is an attorney and shareholder with over 30 years of practice at the firm of Greenberg Traurig. Laurie served as president of the Literacy Coalition board from 2004-2006 and chaired our Building Committee for the Blume Literacy Center. She has also chaired our Strategic Planning Committee and has served on the Read Together Palm Beach County Committee. Laurie is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

 

DIRECTORS

Aurora Arthay
Palm Beach County Library System

Caleb T. Bowser
Northern Trust

Valrie Martin Buchanan
Palm Beach State College

Debbie DeHoog, CIP
NCCI

Pierre Deltor, M.D.
SCAPS Medical Center

Maggie Dickenson *
U.S. Bank

Debra Ghostine 
Community Volunteer

Grace Halabi
First Horizon

Alma Horne
MLK, Jr. Coordinating Committee

Andrew Loewenstein
Holland & Knight LLP

Telsula C. Morgan
Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A.

Lindsay Reinhart
Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A.

Carol Rose
The Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Daily News

Avril Scarlett
Florida Crystals Corporation

Kenneth G. Spillias *
Attorney (retired)
Founding Board Member

Kelly Starling
Community Volunteer

Lauren Stuhmer
Citibank N.A.

Crystal Torres
Nason Yeager, P.A.

Janel K. Williams, RN, BSN
Domnick Cunningham Yaffa

* Past President

Founding President
Gale G. Howden

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Kristin Calder