Meet the Trailblazers
The all-volunteer, governing board of The Lucky Foundation™, the Board of Directors is responsible for defining the organization's mission and purpose, setting policy, establishing long-term goals and strategic planning, monitoring general operations, and approving organizational outcomes and allocations of resources. Partnering with the Advisory Board of Directors and Trailblazing Committee Members, our leadership is governed by achievement driven talent who is dedicated to making an impact throughout the nation. Together we are an unstoppable force and will accomplish many amazing and inspirational goals by our shared vision and enriching the communities throughout the nation. We encourage you to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us, to take action, as we rise to challenge with ingenuity, compassion, resilience, fortitude, and integrity.
-
Founder; Chief Executive Officer
Kristina is an achievement-oriented adventure enthusiast with a track record of achievement developing revenue and meeting aggressive growth targets. She carries a strength in creating an inclusive culture with strong communication and teamwork that benefits the entire organization. Focus-driven on the development of people, processes, and tools, with an emphasis on the customer experience and satisfaction. Learn More About Our Founder Here!
-
Board Chairperson
Dr. Sharada Iyer is an accomplished leader with over 25 years of experience in financial services & technology. She has delivered digital, management strategy, risk, financial and process solutions in global cross cultural, inclusive, and diverse teams with multi-million dollars Return on Investment. Sharada has an Executive Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) focused on Digital Transformation, Strategy, Cyber, Risk and Resilience from Columbia Business School and Trident University International (TUI). She has received her Executive Leadership Training from the Wharton School, PA. Sharada has earned her MBA in Fraud, Data Analytics and International Business from Louisiana State University and her Bachelor’s in Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering from Mumbai University. Sharada also holds a series of industry certifications like PMP®-Risk, 6 Sigma black belt, CBAP, ITIL Masters, Audit, Agile, Cloud, & Java.
Sharada is a nominated member of National Society for Leadership & Success (NSLS). She serves as a mentor for several women in engineering and is a nominated awardee of the 2022 Top 25 Influential Women by Women We Admire. Sharada continues to be an active member in Columbia Girls in STEM & Habitat for Humanity programs and has led several Campus Recruiting programs at Upenn, Howard and Columbia Universities to promote early talent pipeline for financial institutions. Sharada has trained several senior leaders at Goldman Sachs University on communication, leadership, management strategy and program management skills.
Sharada is a recipient of post-doctoral fellowship from Trident University International, consulting/contributing to the field of Management Strategy, Financial Risk & Digital Transformation. Sharada is also very active in promoting South Asian Arts (Classical Carnatic Vocal and Bharatnatyam Dance) in her local community.
-
Board Vice Chairperson
Collin has 15 years experience in the retail sector and is an expert in creating and executing innovative strategies that drive growth and elevate brands to new heights. She is also deeply committed to helping others through volunteer work, mentorship, or pro bono consulting in order to give back and make a difference. She is thrilled to join The Lucky Foundation and looks forward to contributing to their mission.
-
Chief Financial Officer
Brittany is a hard-working professional who believes that detail and orientation is integral to impeccable books and records. Her passion has always been numbers, and she has served a multitude of industries. This campaign has helped Brittany to use her talents to give back to the campaign. Brittany also volunteers with many animal rescue charities.
-
Chief Legal Officer
James is a California-barred attorney with nearly a decade of experience advising clients on issues relating to corporate governance, commercial contracts, and strategic initiatives. He is details-oriented and driven to help businesses grow in a swift-yet-compliant manner. James holds dual Bachelor's degrees (in Economics and Marketing) from the University of Pittsburgh and graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He also holds a Certificate in Management from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. James is deeply honored to serve as The Lucky Foundation's Chief Legal Officer.
-
Director of Holistic Programs
Heather is a passionate advocate who believes that connection is a vital component to the human experience. She has dedicated her life to serving others in a variety of capacities including consulting for businesses, marketing, health and wellness and life. Her professional experience includes operations, HR, finance, communications, marketing, and management through a variety of sectors including not for profit, public, private and government. Heather’s advocacy work includes homelessness, mental health and trauma informed awareness. Her life experiences, leadership, out of the box approach to strategy and desire to help others has transcended through fundraising, events, and numerous awareness efforts. Heather’s advocacy reach includes municipal, state, and national efforts and her unique background led her to start #WeHealUS grassroots, nonfunded marketing campaign for May’s Mental Health and Trauma Awareness month. This unique campaign has helped remove the siloed approach and stigma to mental health and trauma informed awareness by creating public/private partnerships across multiple sectors including nonprofits, healthcare and government by providing free resources to individuals and businesses on a local, state, and national level.
-
Chief of Philanthropic Engagement
Charles has his own marketing and communications business, Curraunt. Based in the St. Louis area, he has over 25+ years of experience in marketing, communications, media/public relations, product development, sales, internal communication, community relations, event planning and corporate sponsorships in the agriculture, sports, media, manufacturing and financial services industries.
-
Dr. Vergara has over 20 years experience in organizational leadership, professional and personal development, counseling and coaching. Her work has been mostly focused within academia and the non-profit sector, she has created multiple organizations including Mindfulness Into Action (MIA®) Research Institute. The MIA methodology, a transformational learning practice, has already helped thousands of people revive their mind by identifying and changing their self-sabotaging behavior. Dr. Vergara was born in Chile, lived in Peru, Ecuador and immigrated to the United States with her three children in 1996.
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Adult Education and Leadership, Department of Leadership and Organization, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York.
Master of Science in Nonprofit Management and Urban Policy Analisys, Milano Graduate School, New School University, New York.
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Minor in Broadcasting, New Jersey City University, New Jersey.
Dr. Vergara TEDx at Teachers College Columbia University - she shares her experience in the Amazon Rainforest with the Kichwa community. Dr. Vergara has over 20 years experience in organizational leadership, professional and personal development, counseling and coaching.
