Leadership

John Bodor

President

John currently serves as a © DS-Ambassador (volunteer) for the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), the leading human rights organization for all individuals with Down syndrome.

Yani Bodor

Director of Advocacy

Yani is a passionate advocate for the ‘differently-abled’ community, particularly in the areas of healthcare and education

Clayton Clemens

Vice-President

Clayton is a 2016 graduate from The University of Tampa with a degree in Communications and a minor in Advertising. Originally from Pennsylvania, he has settled in Tampa Bay permanently and has spent his post graduate life working for the Florida Legislature and actively advocating in the Tampa Bay community for a variety of causes.

Jorge F. Lastra Vicente

Treasurer

Jorge Vicente currently serves as an auditor with Tampa-based Accounting Firm Prida, Guida & Perez with experience in financial reporting and auditing. Jorge is a 2018 graduate from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, as well as Biomedical Sciences. Originally from Puerto Rico, Jorge is a dedicated and detail-oriented accounting professional, who has been meeting the accounting needs of businesses and individuals in the Tampa Bay area.

Eric Polins

Board Member

Eric is a veteran communication specialist with over 25 years of experience with international and national brands. He is a former U.S. Marine and has served for 21 years as a Managing Partner of Tampa-based marketing consulting firm HCP Associates. He is very involved in the Tampa Bay Community and in addition to 21 & Change, he serves on numerous non-profit boards.

Carlos Flores-Gordon

Board Member

Carlos is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the advertising industry. President of Milorian Consulting, he is a former minority owner and VP of one of the largest Publishing Companies in the US, majority owned by private equity firm ABRY in Boston. He has also served as a board member of the Tampa Bay Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and has been active as an Autism advocate and mentor to student-athletes in the Bay area for over 10 years.

Sunny Alexander

Board Member

Sunny attended West Point where she was recruited to play soccer.  After graduating from West Point, she earned her commission in the US Army where she served six years on Active Duty in Fort Bragg, NC (where she met her husband while jumping out of perfectly good airplanes) and Fort Belvoir, VA where she worked with Gold Star Families and families with wounded warriors.  Following her military career, she earned a Masters in Corporate Communications.

Michelle Richards

Board Member

Michelle Richards received a MS in Human Performance from the University of South Florida where she completed her major area of studies in restoring mobility and strength and conditioning.

Jessica Andrews

Board Member

Jessica Andrews is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with over 10 years of experience providing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to children with varying disabilities. In addition to her professional experience in the field, Jessica possesses firsthand personal experience as an added bonus of growing up with a brother diagnosed with Down syndrome.

Amanda Sagarian

Board Member

Amanda Sagarian is an experienced Board Certified Behavioral Analyst with experience in both volunteer and leadership roles. She also possesses experience volunteering at her church as the Youth Group Coordinator and works towards empowering youth to become more involved within their community and helped give them a sense of family and friendship. She coordinated bible studies, family events, and fundraising events.

Kristen Peebles

Board Member

Peebles was born and raised in Florida and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising from the University of Florida with a minor in Nonprofit Leadership. With four years of diverse marketing experience in industries including boutique fitness, nonprofits and professional services, Peebles is experienced in developing compelling campaign ideas to garner consumer interest.

Sarah Karlo

Board Member

Sarah Karlo came to Tampa in 2002 after completing a M. Ed in Language and Literacy and with a passion for improving literacy resources for schools and families in Tampa Bay. She has spent the last 20 twenty years involved as a teacher, administrator, tutor, volunteer and advocate for education throughout Tampa Bay.

Shannon McKallip Moss

Board Member

Shannon McKallip Moss was born and raised in Florida and received her Undergraduate degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida. It was her lifelong goal to teach students with Down syndrome and Autism.

Sylvia F. Diehl

Advisor – Inclusive Education

Sylvia F. Diehl, Ph.D., CCC-SLP has recently retired from the University of South Florida (USF) Department of Communication Sciences in Tampa, Florida.