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Executive Leadership
Camila Rocha, President & CEO
Camila Rocha’s ascent to her role as the first Hispanic female President and CEO within the Easterseals organization is marked by her impressive professional and educational background. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, earned in 2002, she pursued further education by obtaining a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida, in 2012. This robust academic foundation equipped her with the expertise and skills to make a significant impact in the fields of mental health and social services.
Camila began her professional journey with Easterseals South Florida in 2010 as the Out of School Services Director. She quickly demonstrated her innovative spirit by establishing the first partnership with Nova Southeastern University and pioneering the Talking Time group counseling program for Culinary Arts students. Her leadership abilities were further recognized when she served as the interim Head Start Director, ensuring a smooth transition during a critical period.
Camila was appointed Director of Education Services during a period of restructuring. She successfully merged three children’s services departments into a unified Education Services Department. Under her leadership, the Culinary Arts After School and Summer Camp program received the Program of the Year award from The Children's Trust. She also launched the first Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4 programs, addressing a crucial service gap, and established a partnership with UM-NSU CARD to enhance support for children with autism. Notably, she initiated the Coffee on Wheels mobile classroom, providing hands-on job training and entrepreneurship opportunities for students transitioning out of high school.
Camila’s appointment as President and CEO of Easterseals South Florida is a historic milestone. Her leadership reflects a broader trend of transformational philanthropy in Miami, joining a growing roster of non-profit female CEOs who are redefining the landscape of charitable organizations in the region.
Beyond her professional achievements, Camila's personal life is a testament to her resilience and commitment to community. Born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, she faced significant challenges early in life, losing her father at the age of two. Raised by her mother with the support of grandparents and uncles, Camila learned the values of responsibility, community service, and resilience. In 2003, she moved to Miami seeking better professional opportunities.
She married her high school sweetheart in 2006 and is a proud mother of two children. Her personal experiences as a mother, whose children have been role models at Easterseals, provide a unique perspective and deepen her commitment to the organization’s mission and the needs of those it serves.
Camila's leadership style is characterized by leading by example, building strong, skill-based teams, and being a hands-on, action-oriented leader. Her contributions to the field were recognized in 2023 when she received the Healthcare Champion Award from the Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Looking ahead, Camila’s vision for Easterseals South Florida includes increasing the quality of services through innovative approaches, identifying new opportunities, and expanding the organization’s footprint in Broward. She aims to enhance services for younger adults and invest in human talent, positioning Easterseals as an employer of choice. Her leadership promises a bright future for the organization, filled with growth, inclusivity, and continued excellence in service delivery.
Camila Rocha’s journey exemplifies dedication, innovative spirit, and unwavering commitment to enhancing the lives of individuals and families served by Easterseals South Florida. Her story is one of resilience, passion, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, making her an inspiring leader for the organization and the community it serves.
Barry R. Vogel, J.D., Chief Administrative Officer
As Chief Administrative Officer for Easterseals South Florida, Barry is responsible for all business functions. Barry is committed to Easterseals South Florida mission of providing exceptional services so that all people with disability or special needs have an equal opportunity to live, work, learn and play in their communities. He joins Easterseals South Florida bringing significant experience in results-oriented non-profit leadership, operations management, person-centered culture, and as an educational administration executive.
Most recently, Barry served as managing director for Florida International University’s Global First Year pathway program for international students in partnerships with Shorelight LLC. Previously, Barry held senior management positions for Johnson & Wales University where he provided leadership for more than three decades in a variety of business, administrative, and student services functions.
Barry’s array of civic involvement has included serving the Miami Dade and Broward community in a variety of volunteer roles including the Financial Stability Impact Council of United Way of Miami Dade, the Beacon Council, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, past chair of the Greater North Miami Chamber of Commerce, City of North Miami Downtown Action Plan Advisory Committee, Miami Dade County Public Schools Academy of Finance Advisory Committee, West Broward High School Speech & Debate Boosters; West Broward High School Performance Ensemble Boosters, and Boy Scouts of America South Florida Council.
Barry earned the Juris Doctorate degree from the Shepard Broad College of Law at Nova Southeastern University.
Senior Management
Pietro Bonacossa, CFRE, Vice President of Development
As Vice President of Development for Easterseals South Florida, Pietro is responsible for establishing and implementing the infrastructure needed to grow the agency’s impact on the families it serves through individual, corporate, foundation, and special event support. A metrics-driven nonprofit ambassador, Pietro has extensive experience driving revenue-generating mission engagement strategies, cultivating donors and community pillars towards becoming philanthropically invested in reputable South Florida institutions.
Throughout his fundraising journey, Pietro has had the privilege to serve in pivotal advancement roles where he partnered with cross-divisional teams to identify funding priorities, create compelling cases for support, leverage affinity circles, and broker major donor investments – primarily in the pediatric healthcare and higher education sectors.
A native of Florence, Italy, Pietro has lived in Miami for almost 20 years where he has held key fund and business development positions at Nicklaus Children’s Health System, Miami Dade College, Florida International University and Barry University, leading multi-channel community outreach efforts aimed at raising vital public support for programmatic, endowment, research, scholarship, clinical and cultural opportunities. Pietro has served in consulting and volunteer capacities with A Safe Haven for Newborns, the United Way Miami Health Impact Council, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) Nonprofit Business Committee, and Safeguarding American Values for Everyone (SAVE). He is an active board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Miami Chapter.
Pietro has a bachelor’s degree in International Trade from Auburn University and an MBA in Marketing from Georgia State University. He also holds a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) professional designation.
Gabriella Contreras, Director of Human Resources
Gabriella brings over 15+ years of experience in human resources and professional services, 10 of which she served in the non-profit health and human services field. Before joining ESSF, Gabriella spent over a decade at CHI Community Health of South Florida. Her professional experiences include executive-level management, compensation and budget review, strategic program management and planning, training/employee development, credentialing and privileging, organizational development, and employee relations. She is a committed member of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and the CHI Caring Society, as well as a passionate supporter of Zoo Miami, Live Like Bella Foundation, and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). Gabriella obtained her BA in Psychology from Florida International University and is certified in Leadership Miami and Foundations of Leadership.
Steven Henriquez, CPA, Interim Chief Financial Officer
Steven J. Henriquez is a Florida Certified Public Accountant with comprehensive experience servicing prominent national and local clientele. He has extensively counseled not-for-profit entities, public corporations, wholesale and retail distribution operations, real estate interests, manufacturing entities, transportation logistics, and telecommunications companies. Holding a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Accounting from the University of Florida, Steven was previously employed with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Mallah Furman.
Beatriz Hentschel, Head Start/Early Head Start Director
As Head Start/Early Head Start Director Beatriz Hentschel is responsible for the administration, financial management, and supervision of early childhood programs including Head Start, Early Head Start, Voluntary Pre-K, and School-Readiness.
Beatriz is a dynamic professional with over 23 years of experience providing high-quality early learning education for young children in primarily underserved communities. She has extensive experience in managing, mentoring, and coordinating programming across multiple early learning centers and has led large teams of more than 100 employees. Beatriz is an expert in the areas of early childhood curriculum development and implementation, program monitoring and support, budget development and adherence, human development and training, grant writing, NAEYC Accreditation, APPLE Accreditation and community relations.
Beatriz holds a Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood and a B.S. Degree in Political Science and Public Administration with a minor in International Relations.
