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School leaders honor parent volunteers during special breakfast
Ransom Everglades shined a spotlight on the many parents who quietly donate their time and talents for the benefit of the entire RE community during the Volunteer Recognition Breakfast May 6. Seven volunteers received special awards, and dozens earned honors from Head of School Rachel Rodriguez, Chief Operating Officer David Clark '86 or Director of Advancement Vicki Carbonell Williamson '88.
Simone Boayue-Gumbs was named 2025 Volunteer of the Year and five parents received the volunteer core value awards: Ken Zide (Support & Community, Shanjie Li (Diversity & Inclusion), Douglas Kaplan (Honor & Excellence), Patty Rothstein and Alex Moskovitz ’93 (co-winners), and Nickelle Crowley (Service & Outreach).
Boayue-Gumbs has served with the Ransom Everglades Parents’ Association and The Fund for RE during her seven years as a volunteer at RE. “Simone is brilliant, tireless, kind and humble,” Rodriguez said as she announced the award at the Coconut Grove Woman’s Club. “She never seeks the spotlight, but today we are putting her front and center.”
Clark presented the core value awards, explaining that they were designed to honor those who lead “not for recognition, but because they truly care – about our students, our school, and the world beyond our campus.”
Zide, a medical doctor, was recognized for his work with the Holzman Center of Applied Ethics; for the past two years, he has led discussions on medical ethics with students during the mid-day break.
Li was lauded for his leadership and organization of RE’s Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations; his efforts have helped spark a deeper commitment to cultural celebrations on campus that help bring the community together.
Kaplan was recognized for his contributions to the school’s scholastics teams program, where he has supported participating students and organizations to elevate their experience and performance.
Rothstein and Moskovitz, The Fund for RE grade team leaders since their children were in sixth grade, have consistently provided coordination, warmth, connection and care.
Those in attendance at the Coconut Grove Woman’s Club offered a standing ovation to Crowley, the outgoing REPA president. Williamson credited her with always giving 150 percent and leading with kindness. In the past five years, Crowley served as an annual fund volunteer, on various REPA committees, and on the REPA Executive Board.
“Nickelle is passionate, dedicated, extremely organized and responsible,” Willamson said. “She constantly wants to improve, learn and grow. She is very generous with her time and has a truly positive attitude.”
Clark shared that The Fund for RE is closing in on a record-breaking year for annual fund-raising, already well past its goal of $5 million. He lauded the work of trustee Constance Fernandez, Chair of the Advancement Committee, as well as the efforts of The Fund for RE Parent Co-chairs Kajal and Siddhartha Gowda.
He also recognized each grade-team leader by name: Boayue-Gumbs (12th grade), Vicky Vega and Sylvia Flores Berkshire (11th), Vicky Hucks (10th), Christina Medina (9th), Heather Tillett Stenstrom '94 (8th), Holly and Sean Zawyer (7th) and Danielle and Kevin Milota (6th).
He also recognized each grade-team leader by name: Boayue-Gumbs (12th grade), Vicky Vega and Sylvia Flores Berkshire (11th), Vicky Hucks (10th), Christina Medina (9th), Heather Tillett Stenstrom '94 (8th), Holly and Sean Zawyer (7th) and Danielle and Kevin Milota (6th).
“Every single day, we feel the impact of your care and commitment,” he said.
Fernandez shared that, over the past seven years, Class of 2025 parents contributed more than $3 million in annual fund gifts. She also noted that parent participation has increased significantly in the last three years; nearly 70 percent of parents made gifts this past year, and 90 percent of parents in the Class of 2026 contributed. Meanwhile, the Raider Day of Giving reached a new high in individual donors, with 580 people giving more than $388,000 on March 5, 2025.
Williamson recognized the outgoing leadership of the REPA Executive Committee, and Rodriguez installed the new leaders of the 2025-26 members of the REPA Executive Committee:
President - Ellie Rodriguez
President-Elect - Jeremy Brandrick
Secretary - Amy Brown
Treasurer - Tom Jelke
Assistant Treasurer - Kristin Connell
VP Middle School - Amy Hadjilogiou
VP Upper School - Jessica Mason
VP Arts - Brooke Hoenig
VP Athletics - Lisa Newman
VP Communications - Angelina Kaye
VP Scholastic Teams - Maureen Mestepey
VP RE PALS – Mary Seabrook
Member At-Large – Max Alves de Lima
Member At-Large – Eleanor Barnett
Member At-Large – Alyssa Kriplen
Member At-Large – Dana Martorella
Member At-Large – Maureen Mestepey
Member At-Large – Carmen Serrano
Member At-Large – Gisell Torres
Member At-Large – Alexis Wagner
Past President – Nickelle Crowley
Past President – Soledad Awad
Past President – Javier Lugo
Past President – Allison Holly
Past President – Vicky Hucks
Outgoing REPA Executive Board
Outgoing REPA Executive Board
President – Nickelle Crowley
President-Elect – Ellie Rodriguez
Secretary – Jessica Mason
Treasurer – Tom Jelke
Assistant Treasurer – Kristin Connell
VP Middle School – Jeremy Brandrick
VP Upper School – Carmen Serrano
VP Arts – JJ Snow Hansen
VP Athletics – Amy Stokes
VP Communications – Rebecca Millares-Macias ’95
VP Scholastic Teams – Doug Kaplan
VP RE PALS – Mary Seabrook
Member At-Large – Max Alves de Lima - Cultural Celebrations with Veronica Pichetti
Member At-Large – Jennifer O’Neill Fox - Sports Banners with Jessica White
Member At-Large – Brooke Hoenig- Raider Rally / Coconut Food Pantry with Diana Tomasetti
Member At-Large – Alyssa Kriplen - Sustainability
Member At-Large – Jennifer Leshner
Member At-Large – Dana Martorella - Professional Community Appreciation Committee
Member At-Large – Christina Medina – caRE committee
Member At-Large – Maureen Mestepey- Volunteer Spreadsheet
Past President – Soledad Awad
Past President – Javier Lugo
Clark also paid tribute to the school’s advancement team under the leadership of Williamson, inviting Kim Arredondo, Melissa Bonafonte, Stacey Chopp, Maria Martinez Gil, Tony Mercadal, Maggie Pearson ’80, Rhonda Smith and Erika Valdes to the stage for recognition.
He concluded the event with a final round of gratitude.
“To all of you – our incredible volunteers, partners and friends,” Clark said, “thank you for showing up not just today, but all year long. Thank you for your time, your talents, your generosity and your heart.”
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.