​Madam Chairwoman

Damaris Hall

Board of Directors Chairwoman, Damaris Hall, is an NSU graduate. She served in six tours of duty in the United States Air Force in Kuwait, Pakistan, twice in Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Kyrgyzstan. Hall also served as a Police Officer for the Miami-Dade Police Department for over 20 years.

Vice Chair/Secretary​

Karin Gerardin ESQ

Board member and Attorney Karin S. Gerardin, ESQ. specializes exclusively in family law and mediation. The Firm offers legal representation for divorces, post-divorce issues, modification of time-sharing, child support, alimony, paternity, domestic violence, and other family law issues. Karin has been a Board member since September 2015.​

Board Member

 Christine Moore 

 Christine Moore is a CAP Advisor/Community Partnership Liaison serving at Palm Glades Academy. She joined Le Jardin’s board in 2018 and was appointed as Vice Chair in 2019. In 2021 she was elected as Chairwoman and served for 2 years.

Board Member

Maria Isabel Olivera

Maria Olivera, is a graduate of Florida International University and has over 20 years of experience in the finance world. She is currently the SVP, Community Relations Director at Amerant Bank.

Board Member 

Deana Goldin

Deana Goldin, PhD, DNP, APRN is a practicing and nationally board-certified Family and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in both Florida and Colorado. Dr. Goldin has a broad background in healthcare with specific training in primary care and mental health across the lifespan.  Dr. Goldin regularly publishes in scholarly journals on mental health related topics with a focus on heightening mental health awareness and knowledge in primary health care settings. Dr. Goldin holds a PhD in Nursing Education (Nova Southeastern University), a Doctor of Nursing Practice (University of Miami), Family Nurse Practitioner Master’s degree (University of Miami) and a Post-Master’s degree in Psychiatric Mental Health  (Johns Hopkins University). Dr. Goldin is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Florida International University and the Family Nurse Practitioner Program Leader.

                     

---

                     Treasurer
​                   Mariela Huanuco

 Mariela Huanuco brings more than 30 years of experience in banking and financial services. As a Commercial Portfolio Manager III at SouthState Bank, she oversees the commercial portfolio for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. Throughout her career, she has worked across consumer, residential, and commercial lending, developing strong expertise in credit financial analysis and construction lending.

​  Board Member  

Jacqueline Lynch

Jacqueline Lynch is a Professor of Literacy in the School of Education and Human Development at Florida International University. Her research focuses on early literacy development and family literacy. Over the last two decades she has presented and published widely in the literacy area. She joined the Board of Directors in September 2020.

​​Board Member

Paola Usquelis

Born and raised in France, Paola Usquelis went to law school and graduated with a bachelor in law before obtaining her MBA. Following her American dream, she moved to Miami in 1992 where she eventually went back to law school and graduated with a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami in 2000. She specializes in immigration law and personal injury cases. She speaks English, French and Spanish.

Board Member

 Dr. Richard Glosser

Dr. Richard S. Glosser of Miami, Florida, is Certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and also holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Orthopedic Sports Medicine by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. Additionally he is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Dr. Glosser's practice primarily concentrates on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal problems of the knees, hips, and shoulders.





​

Eduardo Berrones 

Executive Director

Eduardo Berrones, Executive Director of Le Jardin, Inc. has made helping children and their families within the low-income community of Homestead and Florida City his lifelong passion. Mr. Berrones is the youngest of twelve children, born of former migrant farmworkers, and moved from Texas to South Dade while only a few months old. He attended South Dade Highschool and after graduating college, he returned home and took on the mission to fight and break the migrant’s community poverty cycle by advocating for education, knowing it is the only way to get ahead. Mr. Berrones was the first Mexican-American elected to the Homestead City Council, served for six years, and was a principal advocate for restructuring the City’s budget and financial procedures.

Maria Motta

Program Manager: ​Head Start 

Maria comes from a family of Head Start professionals in the Connecticut and New York area. As a child, she attended a summer Head Start program. A native of Connecticut, she moved to south Florida as a sophomore and attended South Dade High School. Maria joined Le Jardin in 2001 as the Administration Assistant to our Executive Director, Eduardo Berrones. She was later promoted to Curriculum Specialist where she managed over 40 staff and ensured that over 400 students were receiving the best educational experience. As the company grew, she was promoted to Education Coordinator where she worked with extremely knowledgeable Curriculum Specialists. Maria obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Nova Southeastern University in Psychology (minor in Education) and a Master Degree in Education with a specialization in Teacher Leadership.

Abdon Martinez

Facilities Manager 

Abdon Martinez is the Facilities Manager at Le Jardin. Overseeing 9 centers, Abdon ensures all facilities exceed the standards and are in compliance. 

Audelia Martinez 

​Chief Financial Officer/ ​Chief Operations Officer

Audelia Martinez moved to the Homestead/Redland Community with her husband, Abdon in 1988. Ms. Martinez enrolled her children in the Le Jardin Head Start Center where she found her voice advocating for her sons and all the children in the Head Start Community. Now, Ms. Martinez is the Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operations Officer for Le Jardin Community Center, Inc. where she has worked for over 23 years.  Ms. Martinez in a staunch supporter of higher education as a means of empowerment and self-efficacy and received a bachelor’s degree in finance and Master’s degree in Business Administration, all while working full time and raising her family. ​

Maria Rossiter

Program Manager: ​Early Head Start 

Maria Rossiter started working for Le Jardin 11 years ago as a Head Start teacher. She worked as Curriculum Specialist and Center Director for Le Jardin centers 3 and 5 for four years. Currently, she is excited to work as Head Start Program Manager for Le Jardin. She graduated from Auburn University in Auburn, AL. She is an avid arts and crafter with a love for home decor. She has 4 children in college.

Kristien Contino

Special Projects Manager

Kristien Contino leads strategic initiatives that support program growth, strengthen community partnerships, and enhance organizational outreach. She brings a background in public service, project management, and communications, with prior experience in local government and community-focused initiatives. Kristien holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and is fluent in English, Spanish, and Korean. She is passionate about advancing Le Jardin’s mission through collaboration, thoughtful planning, and community-centered solutions.

Glenda Gonzalez-Pino

HR Director

Glenda Gonzalez is a proud Barry University alumna, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations. She began her career in marketing and quickly discovered a true passion for understanding human behavior and what motivates people. This passion led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Behavior Analysis. As an HR Director, Glenda is especially focused on Organizational Behavior Management and is dedicated to building positive, high-performing workplace cultures where people can thrive.

Jeissy Useche 

Information Technology Manager

Jeissy Useche graduated from IUTA with a Bachelor's in Computer Science. He has been a part of Le Jardin for the past 4 years. With over 16 years of experience, he has helped develop and improve company systems to better serve our staff, children, and families.