Sasha Lightbourne, Bo Megginson, Biana Murnane, and Yolanda Perez contribute extensive expertise to bolster community awareness, advocacy, and fundraising.
Submitted by Paige Feigenbaum
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – The Broward College Foundation appointed BrightStar Credit Union President and CEO Biana Murnane; Gold Coast Angel Investors (GCAI) Managing Partner Bo Megginson; The Boeing Company Senior Manager Sasha Lightbourne; and Truist Bank Senior Vice President and International Wealth Advisor Yolanda Perez to its Board of Directors, in addition to reappointments and a new slate of executive Board Members, during its board meeting on Thursday, December 7, 2023.
-Sasha Lightbourne is a senior manager at The Boeing Company, where she is the visionary for a suite of digital products that seek to enhance safety across the global commercial aviation community. In her role, Lightbourne creates and oversees a line of business that aims to solve the most significant safety challenges that the commercial aviation industry faces today. Lightbourne’s journey began as a problem solver in the Big Four Consulting industry, where she was an advisor to senior leaders in the Federal Intelligence Community. As a manager in consulting, Lightbourne oversaw more than 50 distinct National Security projects that sought to detect and mitigate hazards to human life and critical infrastructure at the Federal and local law enforcement levels. She shaped the strategic direction of programs valued at over $50 million in Congressional appropriations. Later in her career and through a Brookings Institution Legis Congressional Fellowship Program, Lightbourne became the first Foreign Policy and Defense Fellow in the office of a freshman in the U.S. House of Representatives (114th U.S. Congress), where she led research and supported Congressional actions that addressed global human rights, peacekeeping, and defense activities. Lightbourne’s professional achievements throughout her career earned her the prestigious Women of Color Technology Rising Star Award in 2021.
-Bo Megginson is a veteran of multiple startup companies, and his eclectic background helps him relate to today’s capital-seeking entrepreneur, from developing projects with Native American Indian tribes to setting up specialty insurance programs in niche agriculture markets to structuring joint ventures on government contracts. Megginson now serves as the managing partner of the GCAI in Miami. Before joining Gold Coast, Megginson was the Gulf Coast Executive Director for the 250+ member Angel Investor Management (AIM) Group. Joining AIM shortly after its inception in 2012, he helped grow AIM into the largest and most active angel investor network in the Southeast U.S., completing 62 deals involving 43 companies and investing more than $40 million in early-stage transactions. An Auburn University graduate, Megginson is an award-winning journalist, claiming four Alabama Press Association awards before turning his attention to private business pursuits.
-Biana Murnane is a seasoned leader in financial services and a 26-year BrightStar Credit Union employee, currently serving as the president and CEO of BrightStar Credit Union. She obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Florida International University. Murnane entered the industry working for a South Florida CPA firm and later joined BrightStar Credit Union in 1997. Working her way up within the organization through various positions, Murnane has been a catalyst for change and growth at BrightStar, overseeing everything from finances to overall operations. Thanks to her strategic leadership, hard work, and unwavering commitment, the organization has grown in assets and membership over the years. Murnane is also a 2020 recipient of the South Florida Business Journal’s CFO Awards.
-Yolanda Perez is a senior vice president and international wealth advisor at Truist Wealth, where she is responsible for developing relationships with international individuals, families, and companies. Her background includes having more than 16 years of experience working with high-net-worth clients in various roles throughout her career in North America and Europe. Before joining Truist, Perez held senior roles in prominent financial institutions in Miami, New York, and London in their wealth management and investment banking divisions. She is fluent in Spanish and French and earned her Master of Laws in international law, specializing in U.S. and transnational laws, from the University of Miami School of Law. She also graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London in England and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University. Perez is passionate about financial literacy education and has done seminars and workshops for professional athletes in various sports and organizations, such as the Miami Marlins, Minnesota Twins, and The Philadelphia Phillies.
The board also appointed a new slate of executive officers. President and Founder of Paladin Global Partners –Raymond Monteleone is the new Chair, President and CEO of American National Bank Ginger Martin is the Vice Chair and the Finance and Investment Committee Chair; Executive Vice President and CFO at VITAS Healthcare Alexander Fernandez is the Treasurer; CEO of ARK Solvers Reginald André retains the position of Secretary; First Vice President and Financial Advisor of Morgan Stanley Alix Alexis is the Audit Committee Chair; Southern Poverty Law Center Senior Supervising Attorney Bacardi Jackson retains the position of Past Chair; Cloud 9 Nonprofit Advisor’s Managing Partner Jessica Rodriguez is the Governance Committee Chair. Representing the Broward College District Board of Trustees is Zachariah “Reggie” Zachariah, Jr. During the meeting, the board re-appointed Northern Compass Consulting, LLC’s Chief Engagement Officer Dr. Larry Rice. Faculty Senate President Dr. Richard Pulido represents the Broward College faculty. Broward College President Dr. Barbara J. Bryan and Vice President for Advancement and Chief Development Officer of the Broward College Foundation Megan R. Cottle serve as ex officio members of the Board.
About the Broward College Foundation
The Broward College Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and the officially designated means of making private, charitable contributions to Broward College. Its purpose is to change lives through education by providing community awareness, advocacy and funding to the College. Members of the Foundation’s volunteer Board of Directors work closely with the College’s Office of Advancement to raise money to support scholarships, academic programs and learning facility enhancements ensuring all members of our community have the opportunity to become Empowered by Broward. They believe every person who is determined to change their life through the pursuit of higher education should be afforded that opportunity. For more information, visit www.broward.edu/foundation or call 954-201-7414.
About Broward College
Serving more than 60,000 students annually, Broward College provides residents of our community with certificate programs, two-year university-transfer degrees, two-year career degrees, and baccalaureate degrees in selected programs. The mission of the College is to provide high-quality educational programs and services that are affordable and accessible to a diverse community of learners. For more information, visit www.broward.edu.
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