The Mustard Seed’s Board of Directors

Meet Our Members

Richard Montes

Title: Chairman
Company: Travel & Leisure
Email: richard.montes@travelandleisure.com

Mr. Montes is a proven business leader dedicated to the improvement of his community. His passion for growth is highlighted by his progressive experiences within the Human Resource discipline in a variety of industries ranging from Corporate, Hospitality, Public Education and Manufacturing environments. His peers know him to be a strong change agent and a leading influencer of others who builds strong relationships with all stakeholders.

Mr. Montes is currently a Director, Human Resources with Travel + Leisure Co. supporting corporate leadership teams in Operations and Sales/Marketing business units for a large publicly traded hospitality company. He is also a Gallup certified Strengths coach. He is one of several dynamically involving in driving our company’s efforts to be a leading strengths-based organization. His abilities allow him to coach leaders individually, in group settings or crafting a path forward to team performance; in which he has positively impacted hundreds of associates.

Aside from his professional experiences, Mr. Montes also volunteers his time to various non-profit organizations and is excited to work with The Mustard Seed. His work has included professional development, networking, career coaching and the pursuit of scholarly excellence.

Lauren Sykes

Title: Vice Chair
Company: Retired Professor
Email: Laurensykes2911@gmail.com

Retired Program Chair & Professor of Criminal Justice Technology at Valencia College.

Lauren Sykes is a dedicated criminal justice professional with over 35 years of experience in the field. She holds both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Central Florida (UCF).

Beyond her professional career, Lauren is passionate about mentorship and education. She actively supports young individuals in achieving their academic and career goals by leveraging her extensive partnerships and networks.

In her retirement, Lauren especially enjoys her work with the Peace and Justice Institute where she facilitates workshops. She is an Impact member of the Altamonte Springs Rotary Club and recently joined the Board of Directors for the Mustard Seed of Central Florida, where she continues to make a difference in her community.

Kenneth Ruth

Title: Treasurer
Company: KSR, CPA
Email: kruthcpa@gmail.com

Kenneth began his career working as an accountant in the time-share industry and transitioned into public accounting, with a concentration in charter schools and not-for-profits. Kenneth has approximately 20 years of experience performing governmental audits. Kenneth has spent many years auditing not-for-profits and governmental entities and has provided hundreds of hours as an independent contractor and consultant.

Andrea Tresser

Title: Secretary
Company: Borealis Investment Group, LLC, retired
Email: aburke@post.harvard.edu

Andrea was born and raised in Orlando and has deep roots in the community. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University and a Masters in Architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. After a successful 24-year career in Silicon Valley with leadership positions in architecture, real estate, and as co-owner of a residential design-build construction company, she relocated with her family back to Florida in 2016.

Andrea spends her time involved in real estate residential investment projects, is an avid painter, and volunteers locally. She has served as a member of the Spark Leadership Team, a Women’s Division of Join Orlando. She is also the Founder and Coordinator of the Orlando Chapter of the HaZamir International Jewish High School choir for the past six years, and has served as a member of the HaZamir Parent Council.

Cole Wynia

Title: Board Member
Company: McNulty Group Inc
Email: cole@mcnultygroupinc.com

Cole Wynia is a local commercial Real Estate Broker, and was born and raised in Orlando. He attended the University of South Florida and earned a degree in Economics before returning to Orlando to work with McNulty Group Inc. in 2017. He is a member for SIOR ( Society of Industrial and Office Real Estate Brokers) and very active in the local commercial real estate community. McNulty Group Inc. has been involved with The Mustard Seed of Central Florida for many years, and Wynia has supported The Mustard Seed through providing additional warehousing locations during times of inventory influx. Outside of work, Wynia enjoys scuba diving, running, or traveling to somewhere new.

Dana Wilkin

Title: Board Member
Company: Retired
Email: danawilkin11@gmail.com

Dana was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. Following her graduation from Louisiana Tech University in Petroleum Technology, she relocated to the Orlando area where she built her career in the Aerospace industry. Dana is a retired sales executive and is passionate about giving back to the community. Dana’s family lost everything during Hurricane Betsy in 1969 and she remembers the impact this had on her parents with 7 children and no home or furniture. Without the generosity of organizations such as The Mustard Seed, her family would have suffered longer than required. This is Dana’s second term on the Boad of Directors for the Mustard Seed. She spends her free time with her family and travels whenever possible.

Maria Martinez

Title: Board Member
Company: Rollins College- Retired
Email: mmartinez@rollins.edu

Maria was born in Cuba and migrated to the US. She lived in Pennsylvania and has a BA degree from DeSales University and a Master’s Degree in Human Development from Lehigh University. She worked at Lehigh University in the HR department for 10 years and moved to Central Florida to accept the position in HR at Rollins College. She retired from Rollins College as Associate VP of Human Resources and Risk Management after 34 years. She was involved in various positions, at the Chapter, Regional Chair and National Board level with the College and University Professional Assocation. She has been involved with Mustard Seed for 6 years and has rejoined as a Board Member.

Stephanie Philips

Title: Board Member
Company: AdventHealth
Email: stephanie.philips@adventhealth.com

Stephanie Philips is Executive Director for Patient Safety at AdventHealth in Central Florida, leading and supporting efforts to ensure patient and workforce safety. A nurse for 30+ years, Stephanie is enthusiastic about improving healthcare in the communities she is part of.

Stephanie obtained her Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) when she served in the U.S. Army Reserves. She went on to become a Registered Nurse (RN), then obtained a Master of Science in Nursing at Florida State University and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Central Florida.

Originally from Westchester County and upstate New York, Stephanie has been happy to call Winter Park, Florida home since 1992. She enjoys taking advantage of the mild weather for outdoor yoga, walking, and cycling, while also enjoying the arts offerings in central Florida.

Alexa Stone

Title: Board Member
Company: ecoPreserve
Email: ecogalpal@gmail.com

Alexa Stone is the founder and president of ecoPreserve, leading projects in climate resilience, and low-carbon technologies. She serves on multiple boards and committees advancing energy efficiency, green building, and environmental excellence. Recognized with awards like Rising Star Small Business of the Year and the BOMA President’s Award for Sustainability, Alexa holds accreditations including LEED AP, Sustainable Facility Professional, and Envision Sustainability Professional. She combines strategic leadership with hands-on expertise to deliver solutions that reduce environmental impact and improve quality of life.

Roger Rossitto

Title: Board Member
Company: Kisinger Campo & Associates
Email: rrossitto@kisingercampo.com

Mr. Rossitto is a licensed professional engineer and Vice President at Kisinger Campo & Associates, a transportation engineering firm with offices throughout the Southeastern United States. With over three decades of experience in engineering, project management, and strategic growth, Roger brings a practical, solutions-driven mindset to The Mustard Seed’s Board of Directors.

Roger is passionate about community impact and ensuring that families in crisis have access to the basic resources they need to rebuild their lives. This is his first nonprofit board appointment, and he looks forward to supporting The Mustard Seed’s mission through governance, outreach, and advocacy. Roger enjoys travel, sailing, fishing, scuba diving and spending time outdoors with family and friends.