Chairman

Nick is a co-founder of the HOLA Foundation and current Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has served previously as Director of Operations for the Foundation. He is currently a Chief Resident in Anesthesiology at the University of Colorado. He holds a Doctor of Medicine and Masters of Public Health degree from Harvard University and Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry from the University of Colorado. He currently resides in Colorado.

Board Member

Anthony Rossi is one of the original co-founders of the HOLA Foundation and served as its first Chairman. He earned his BA in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his MBA and MS in Health Administration from the University of Colorado Denver. Anthony is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and has served in various healthcare leadership roles from health plans to hospitals. Anthony has over 15 years of nonprofit executive and board director experience, has founded three 501c3 organizations, and is an active member of the charitable community in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. He has served as the Corporate Director, Integration and Business Transformation for LifeBridge Health system in Baltimore, MD and is currently launching his own business.

Board Member

Sezen first joined the HOLA Foundation as a volunteer on a trip to Nicaragua in 2011 and has stayed involved throughout the organization's evolution. From 2013-2023, she served as the Executive Director of the Nicaragua Nonprofit Network, a partner organization built with the support of the HOLA Foundation, and joined the HOLA Foundation Board of Directors in 2023. Currently, she works as a program analyst within the General Services Administration, but prior, was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama for three years. She is thrilled to bring her passion for community development to the HOLA Foundation Board as they continue to provide much-needed services within Nicaragua, and life-changing experiences for trip participants.

Board Member

Nic Garcia, one of the original board members the HOLA Foundation and currently runs his own family medicine practice in Venice, Florida. Prior to opening his own practice Nic served as a Captain in the United States Air Force as a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine in Okinawa, Japan, where, as a member of special operations, he put his skydiving, climbing and outdoor skills to good use. He first started his volunteer work in 2005 as a member of The HOLA Foundation, and has journeyed to Nicaragua eight times since. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Boulder, he remained in his home state of Colorado for medical school and attended Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, graduating in its inaugural class of 2012. He continues to do his

Board Member

Laura has been involved with the HOLA foundation since the organization was founded. She graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor’s Degree in molecular, cellular, developmental biology. Subsequently she graduated with a Master’s in Public Health Degree at the University of Arizona, and worked with the Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Program, Arizona Department of Health Services, CDC partners, and Mexican State Health representatives to monitor infectious disease in the U.S.- Mexico border region. She currently works as a physician assistant in a busy emergency department in Michigan

Board Memeber

John Renda is an owner and operator of a Long Island based wholesale distributor of plumbing and heating supplies, servicing the Metro NY area. He is a 2005 graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Denver, CO, graduating with an Associates in Culinary arts and a Bachelor in Food Service management.His connection to HOLA comes from his lifelong friendship with the family of our dear, late co-founder, Jamie Byers. He brings business background and acumen to the organization with a desire to help drive the vision of Jamie’s main passion, veterinary work. John is a 2021 graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program and also serves on the board of a Long Island based non-profit JRSailing program.

Board Member

Matthew Jesse Fioravanti has worked in Nicaraguan humanitarian efforts for over 8 years with the NNN and the HOLA foundation. Working as a volunteer program director in Nicaragua, Jesse observed first-hand many issues resulting from poor or nonexistent communication between development organizations and between development organizations and local government. As a result, Jesse founded the NNN project in late 2012 as an effort to increase communication and networking between organizations working on the ground in Nicaragua. Jesse graduated as an MD student in the 2019 class at the University of Colorado in Denver, CO.