MARK BREWER, CAP®

President/CEO
mbrewer@cffound.org

Mark joined the Foundation in 2000 and has earned respect for building community partnerships that meet issues head-on and produce measurable results. He has worked with hundreds of individuals, families, and corporations to establish philanthropy plans, endowments, funding strategies, and planned gifts. More than 150 regional nonprofit boards have enlisted Mark’s assistance through the Foundation with strategic and scenario planning initiatives that included the use of endowed investments to sustain their organizations. He is a well-known national speaker on the independent sector, philanthropy’s role in America, venture philanthropy strategies, and the independent sector’s public policy role. In his leadership role at the Central Florida Foundation, Mark frequently advises private and corporate foundation grant makers across the region and plays a public policy advisory role on strategy and advisory boards around the state of Florida.

Mark began his career in the media as a reporter, anchor, and journalist. His background includes more than a decade as a management consultant in the private and independent sectors, leading merger and acquisition strategies for cross-sector initiatives. Later, as a licensed investment professional, he assisted clients with estate and planned giving strategies. Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in business, a master’s degree in public administration with a specialty in Nonprofit Management and is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®. His graduate studies include work in policy and law at Walden University.

Mark has played a leadership role in national and community initiatives. His service focuses on organizations that grow philanthropy or play strategic grant-making and public policy roles.

At the national level, Mark has chaired strategy initiatives and think tanks. At the state level, Mark is a past Chair of the Florida Philanthropic Network, a statewide association of grant makers working to strengthen philanthropy through research, education, and public policy, and is a past Chair of the Community Foundations of Florida, the statewide association of community foundations.

In the Central Florida region, Mark serves as Chair of the College of Community Innovation and Education (CCIE) Dean’s Advisory Council at UCF and is a member of UCF School of Public Administration Nonprofit Advisory. He currently serves on the Strategic Advisory Council for the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations. He is also a past member of Foundation for Orlando’s Future and Orlando Economic Partnership, a public-private partnership working to create quality jobs, economic growth, broad-based prosperity, and a sustainable quality of life for the region, boards of directors.

Mark was named one of Orlando Business Journal’s CEOs of the year for 2021 and identified as one of Orlando Business Journal’s 2021 Power Players. The program identifies 50 Central Florida business leaders who are helping grow and innovate the way business is done throughout Metro Orlando.

SARAH PEREZ

Executive Assistant to the President and CEO
sperez@cffound.org

As Executive Assistant to the President and CEO, Sarah works closely with the executive team, providing high-level administrative and strategic support. She serves as a trusted liaison between leadership and the Foundation’s stakeholders and community partners.

Sarah grew up in the Central Florida area, attending Orange County Public Schools and graduated from Rollins College with a Bachelor of Arts in Music. She began her career as a music educator before moving out of state and transitioning to nonprofit work, serving as Operations Manager at a small arts-education organization for over nine years. After returning home to Central Florida, she joined the Foundation in 2025 and is pleased to be a part of Building Community by Building Philanthropy here in her hometown.

Outside of work, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, reading fiction of all kinds, and visiting local coffee shops.

MEGHAN WARRICK, CPA, CGMA

Executive Vice President / Chief Financial Officer
mwarrick@cffound.org

Meghan Warrick is the Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of the Central Florida Foundation. She has been with the Foundation since 2004 and is a Certified Public Accountant and a Chartered Global Management Accountant with more than 25 years of experience in accounting, auditing and financial administration in the non-profit sector. Prior to joining the Foundation, Meghan was an audit manager in KPMG LLP’s public services practice and served numerous governmental and not-for-profit clients. She is a member of the American and Florida Institutes of Certified Public Accountants.

Meghan holds both a Master of Accountancy and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Stetson University. She is a former Trustee of the First Congregational Church of Winter Park and is a graduate of Leadership Orlando’s Class 79. Outside of work, Meghan enjoys reading, hitting the beach with family, cheering on the Orlando City Soccer Club and watching her boys play golf.

ELIZABETH GORDON

Controller
egordon@cffound.org

Elizabeth Gordon assists the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer with the accounting and financial management of CFF, oversees the day-to-day fiscal and accounting operations, coordinates information technology needs, and prepares financial reports. Her areas of expertise include managing accounting operations, analytical problem resolution, regulatory compliance, internal controls, process improvement and GAAP accounting principles.

Elizabeth is an island girl at heart, having been raised in Puerto Rico and St. Croix. She later moved to Orlando in 2000. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a minor in accounting from Catholic University of Puerto Rico. Her past experience includes working as an accounting manager at a local law firm.

Elizabeth is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and its Not-for-Profit Section. Outside of work she enjoys cooking, running and spending time with family and friends.

ELIZABETH GUERRA

Office Administrator
eguerra@cffound.org

Elizabeth Guerra is responsible for hospitality and general administrative functions of CFF.

She earned an associate degree in data entry and completed three years of industrial psychology study in Puerto Rico. Her past experience includes more than 20 years in executive-level support to C-suite leaders in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors.

Outside of work, Elizabeth enjoys traveling and reading.

STEVEN J. JERINA, CAP®

Vice President of Philanthropic Strategies and Partnerships
sjerina@cffound.org

Serving as the Foundation’s Vice President of Philanthropic Strategies and Partnerships, Steve Jerina is a lifelong nonprofit professional with over a decade of experience in philanthropy, higher education, and nonprofits. In this position, Steve leads and oversees work with fundholders, professional advisors, private foundations, and other local donors to meet their charitable goals while also securing partnerships that advance the Foundation’s mission.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Steve moved to Florida from Nebraska to serve as the Senior Director of Regional Giving with Rollins College in greater Orlando, Florida, focused on major and planned gifts in emerging markets, specifically the western U.S. Before making the move south, he was with the Omaha Community Foundation where he led efforts in planned and collective giving and worked with professional advisors and donors to advise on charitable gift strategies. He also brings prior fundraising experience from Doane University and United Way of the Midlands. Steve’s background encompasses the breadth of planned giving, major gifts, annual giving, donor advised funds, private foundations, corporate giving, and collective giving with philanthropists from all walks of life.

Growing up in small-town Nebraska and attending a liberal arts college, Steve learned immediately the value of community, relationships, and giving back. He is currently on the board for the Central Florida chapter of Charitable Gift Planners, serving as the Programs Co-Chair, sits on the programming committee for the Central Florida Estate Planning Council, is on the board for Crave of Central Florida, and serves as the Governance Chair of the Nebraska Hope Foundation, helping provide financial assistance to cancer patients and their families. Steve has also served on governance or advisory boards for Young Nonprofit Professionals of Greater Omaha, Business Ethics Alliance, and Nebraska Methodist Hospital Foundation, and has been a member of the Omaha Venture Group and Pay it Forward Fund giving circles.

Steve received his MPA with a concentration in nonprofit management from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and his BA in history and political science from Doane University. He is also a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy from the American College of Financial Services and a 21/64 Certified Advisor.

Steve resides in the greater Orlando, Florida area, and is a self-described foodie and history buff, and enjoys quality time with friends and family alongside cooking, reading, and golf.

NEIL RIOS LAVERDE, CAP®

Philanthropic Relationship Manager
nrios@cffound.org

Neil Rios Laverde is a part of the Philanthropy team and works closely with the Foundation’s VP of Philanthropic Strategies and Partnerships on donor services and stewarding relationships with fundholders and nonprofits.

Neil has lived in the city of Orlando since 2005 when he migrated with his family from Colombia. He pursued his higher education at the University of Central Florida and graduated in 2020 with a degree in communications with a focus on nonprofits. Throughout college, Neil worked with nonprofits serving the LGBT+ community in Orlando such as Equality Florida, the Zebra Coalition, and The Dru Project. His work with the community developed his passion for the nonprofit industry and has allowed him to grasp a strong understanding of the industry.

Neil serves on the board of the Contigo Fund, a nonprofit that works on supporting minority-led and focused nonprofits in Florida. When he is not at work, Neil spends his time playing volleyball with Orlando’s OUT sports league, an LGBT+ friendly sports league. He enjoys reading, going to the beach, and dancing to Latin music!

SANDI VIDAL

Vice President of Community Strategies and Initiatives
svidal@cffound.org

Sandi Vidal serves as Vice President of Community Strategies and Initiatives at the Central Florida Foundation, where she works at the intersection of impact, strategy, and leadership. She brings together partners across sectors to address complex community challenges, including homelessness, economic instability, and equitable access to care and opportunity. Known for her ability to connect ideas, people, and resources, Sandi excels at transforming vision into action. Whether leading strategic initiatives or working alongside community partners to implement solutions, she brings both clarity and momentum to creating lasting change.

A graduate of the University of Miami School of Business with a degree in Business Administration, Sandi proudly remains a die-hard Hurricane in a household full of Florida State Seminoles. She has more than 25 years of business management experience and over 20 years of nonprofit leadership.

Sandi is a passionate advocate and public speaker focused on advancing solutions to complex social issues. She currently serves on the Nominating Committee for the League of Women Voters of Orange County, participates in numerous community task forces and working groups, and serves on the Board of Directors for ProNet. Throughout her career, she has contributed to a wide range of collaborative initiatives, including Thrive and BBLI, and leads an international cohort of foundations advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Today, Sandi is helping shape a roadmap for a healthier, more thriving community through collaborative, systems-level change. Outside of her professional work, she has been married to her husband, Eddie, for 36 years and is the proud mother of three amazing adult children. She also shares her home with a particularly grumpy cat who keeps everyone humble.

ALISSA MAHADEO

Community Investment Manager
amahadeo@cffound.org

Alissa supports the Foundation’s strategic initiatives, giving circles, grant and scholarship processes, and the upkeep of Nonprofit Search.

As a native Floridian, Alissa was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. She graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Human Services. Her previous experience includes roles with Public Allies, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, and UCF.

In her spare time, you can find Alissa reading, exploring, and finding the best iced coffee in town. She’s passionate about civic engagement, social justice, and the arts.

LAURIE CROCKER

Vice President of Strategic Communications
lcrocker@cffound.org

With a strong love for language, Laurie ensures the Foundation’s message is clear, impactful and effective. She guides all communications, including special projects such as our First You Talk podcast, and initiatives, such as our 100 Women Strong strategic giving circle.

Laurie holds a Bachelor of Arts in History, with a focus on Native & Indigenous Studies, from the University of Connecticut, and is Adobe Certified in Visual Design. Working as an elementary teacher for ten years before transitioning to content creation and management, she specializes in creating clear, concise messaging for complex topics and ideas.

Originally from New England, Laurie’s called Central Florida home for over 15 years, finding great fulfillment in her family’s ability to create roots here in Orlando. Her husband serves as a local attorney, her stepson is a proud Knight, and her younger son attends Seminole County public schools. In her off time, you can find Laurie reading, writing, horseback riding or hanging out with her beloved cats and dog.