Josh Provides - Epilepsy Assistance Foundation

Sandi Chapnick, along with her husband Bruce P. Chapnick, of blessed memory, and daughter Nicole, is Co-Founder of JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation.

Ed Scharf is Managing Director at The Portfolio Strategy Group, in White Plain, NY. His experience in the investment field spans over 25 years, and he focuses primarily on overseeing client investments, servicing clients and overseeing the firm’s fixed income investments. Prior to joining PSG, Ed held positions at Glickenhaus and Co., Pennfield Capital, and Citibank. At Glickenhaus and Co., he was Director of Individual Marketing and Client Operations. During his time at Pennfield Capital, Ed was Managing Director for their high net worth investment business, which also included management of bond portfolios. At Citibank, he was an Assistant Vice President with broad operating responsibilities in the Worldwide Securities Division of the Financial Institutions Group. Ed received his undergraduate and MBA degrees from the University of Rochester. Ed and his wife, Karen, and their three children live in Chappaqua, NY. Ed and his family knew Josh since he was a teenager.

Dan is the current President of United Way Suncoast.

Supported by an integrated team of wealth management experts, Dan is a dedicated Wealth Strategist with over 25 years of financial experience. Utilizing Northern Trust’s propriety Goals Driven Wealth Management process, Dan works with high net worth clients to provide holistic solutions geared at aligning client’s financial resources with their personal goals to create an integrated strategy that empowers clients with a complete understanding of how they may achieve their lifetime goals.

Dan received a B.S. degree in Economics from Florida State University and currently holds the designation of Certified Financial Planner and Certified Wealth Advisor along with his Series 7 and 63 licenses. An accomplished speaker and author, he has been published on such topics as Legacy Building, Charitable Giving, and Estate Planning. A native Floridian, Dan lives locally with his wife Jennifer and their three children.

Dan is the current President of the Southwest Florida Planned Giving Council and Treasurer of United Way Suncoast. Additionally, Dan serves on the board of the United Way of Manatee County, Manasota 2-1-1, and JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation. Previously, he has served on the boards of the Selby Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Suncoast, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central Florida, and the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI). He is also a member of the Southwest Florida Estate Council.

Dan is a graduate of Leadership Florida’s Class XXXI.

Murray is President of Trumbull Industries Inc., a wholesale distributor of plumbing and industrial supplies, headquartered in Warren, OH. As President his primary areas of responsibility include strategic planning, finance, human resources, logistics and information technology. Because he is still working, he and his wife Betty split their time between Ohio and Florida, with Florida getting a larger share of time each year. The Miller’s were close friends of Bruce and Sandi Chapnick while raising their families in Liberty, OH. They reconnected when the Miller’s purchased a home in Lakewood Ranch in 2012. Murray knew Josh and is excited to promote the mission of JoshProvides…to improve the lives of people living with epilepsy or other seizure disorders.

Sandi Chapnick, along with her husband Bruce P. Chapnick, of blessed memory, and daughter Nicole, is Co-Founder of JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation. JoshProvides was established in memory of their son Joshua David to improve the lives of those living with and affected by epilepsy or other seizure disorders. JoshProvides offers Sandi and her daughter Nicole the opportunity to directly help others affected by epilepsy. Sandi leads the monthly Epilepsy Support Group where she shares her experience, offers moral support and emotional comfort, and gives practical advice that may help other parents and caregivers.

Tom Curatolo is a native of the Chicago area, and stayed there through his 40-plus-year career in the financial industry. He worked as an accountant and CPA, and for the last 20 years of his career worked as chief financial officer of Hometown America, a real estate company based in the city. Tom is married to Dawn, and they have two children, Mark and Lauren, and four grandchildren. When Tom retired in February, 2021, he and Dawn made the move south to Sarasota, and their children and their families also made the move to our area. Tom, whose oldest granddaughter is subject to seizures, first became aware of JoshProvides through an internet search. A call to JoshProvides led to his work on the Audit Task Force and Grants Review Committee, and now as a member of the board.

Freya is Owner and Mediator at Zollinger Mediation LLC where she provides non adversarial, start to finish divorce services for couples who seek to maintain the integrity of the family relationship, amicably, not to destroy the other party and not to be taken advantage of. Freya also holds a license in health, life insurance and annuities. And holds a certification as a Long-Term Care Consultant and as a Chartered Special Needs Consultant. Since moving to Sarasota in 2004, Freya has been involved with Child Protection Center, Sarasota County Senior Advocacy Council and JoshProvides. She and her son Joshua and their family have been emotionally supported by the JoshProvides community since 2017.

Vanessa is Senior Therapy Consultant, FL, for NeuroPace, Inc. which launched the first closed-loop implanted device for refractory partial onset epilepsy. In her role, Vanessa has direct interaction with Epileptologists, Neurologists and Neurosurgeons in north and central Florida and supports patients via educational presentations and in clinic with technical support to the physician. She is very familiar with the treatment options and medical needs of people diagnosed with epilepsy and through her relationships with local physicians, will help to expand awareness of the programs and services of JoshProvides. Vanessa and her team at NeuroPace have been presenters at the JoshProvides Epilepsy Support Group meetings.

Terry has been an active volunteer in both Chicago and Sarasota. She has a strong interest in advocating for individuals with developmental disabilities which lead her and her husband Bob to establish the Lewandowski Family Center in Chicago. Here in Sarasota, Terry is active with Impact100SRQ and the Women’s Club at St. Thomas More Church. Epilepsy is an important issue for her family because a niece and nephew were diagnosed with epilepsy as children. Terry has witnessed their seizures and understands the challenges that people with epilepsy face in terms of treatment, isolation, and limitations. She is committed to promoting education and awareness, so the general public has a better understanding of this neurological disorder.

Marc Loundy, D.O., was friend and physician for JoshProvides co-founder Bruce Chapnick (of blessed memory), from 2000 until his untimely death in 2017. He also knew Josh Chapnick, Bruce and Sandi’s son, for whom JoshProvides is named.

Though he retired from his primary care internal medicine practice at Gulf Coast Medical Specialists in 2017, he maintains his medical license and remains current in medical topics of the day, including epilepsy. He is also a member of the Covid Response Team at Temple Emanu-El and is a member of the advisory committee at Aviva Senior Living.

Prior to moving to Sarasota in 2000 with his wife, Ronni, Dr. Loundy worked for 20 years as a member of the Department of Internal Medicine at Grandview Hospital in Dayton, Ohio. He attended school at The Ohio State University and earned his D.O. at Des Moines University, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Vera McClaugherty came to this country from La Habana, Cuba, arriving here in 1962, only 10 months after the Bay of Pigs invasion and eight months prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis. She came here with her parents and 9-month-old sister, leaving behind everything else they held dear. Vera graduated from Florida International University, married in 1979 and earned her master’s of Arts in Teaching and Learning from Nova Southeastern University.  She has more than 40 years of classroom experience, and was a Swim America coach from 1994 until retiring in 2004. She recently retired from teaching at the Sarasota Military Academy, where she has worked since its opening in 2002. Her duties have included teaching Spanish and French and she was honored by being chosen Teacher of the Year – twice. Vera and her husband have been married 43 years, and have two sons. She and her husband have been music ministers at their church for about 20 years. Vera’s interest in serving on the JoshProvides board stems from her son Bradley’s diagnosis of seizures. She and her husband, Doug, have been resource speakers for the JoshProvides Epilepsy Support Group.

Alfred Rose was born and raised in Bronx, New York. Alfred enter the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1954 and graduated with a BS degree in economics in 1958, including a major in real estate and finance. Upon graduation from Wharton, Alfred joined the family business, which owned and managed apartment buildings in New York City and Westchester County New York. In 1981, the family liquidated the family real estate holdings. Alfred and his wife, Adela, were married in 1985. Alfred has three children and six grandchildren. Also, in 1985, the Rose’s discovered Sarasota, FL. Alfred turned his attention to the rewards of philanthropy. For 16 years, Alfred was a board member at the Center for Building Hope. Recently, he joined the board at the Jewish Housing Council and has found a special passion for JoshProvides.

A certified elementary school teacher, who earned her master’s degree in reading, Meme Signor last taught in 2015, in a preschool classroom in Williamsville, NY. She also subbed at Bradenton Christian School in 2016 and 2017, before becoming a stay-at-home mom for five children, ages 3-16, and caregiver for her aging parents. Their son Chase, was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 5 and is now 12. Her volunteer efforts include organizing the Chase Away Epilepsy Walk, which was first held in 2020 in Bradenton. The three walks that have been held have raised more than $20,000 for the Epilepsy Foundation, and in this coming year the walk will benefit JoshProvides. Her mission is to raise epilepsy awareness and be part of research to end epilepsy.

Kate is the Attorney and President of Kate Smith Law, specializing in estate planning, probate, business formation and planning. She previously worked as an Associate at Icard Merrill where she was mentored by Bruce Chapnick. While working with Bruce, Kate got to know Josh and his passion for life. Kate admired Bruce and Sandi for turning their grief into an organization that was committed to helping other young adults and families who were dealing with a diagnosis of epilepsy. It is an honor for Kate to continue the legacy of the Chapnick family and promote the programs of JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation as a member of the Board of Directors.

Andria Bilan was hired as the first CEO of JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation in October 2017 after having served 18 years as Vice President of Development at Jewish Family & Children’s Service of the Suncoast, Inc. She has more than 40 years of executive non-profit experience including the United Way, YWCA and JFCS. Her donor-centric approach to fundraising, passion for message and mission, and commitment to expand vital services to vulnerable and at-risk individuals & families has advanced the goals of JoshProvides Epilepsy Assistance Foundation. Andria has expanded the visibility of the agency through local media outlets; increased resources and funding by building strong relationships with foundations and donors; structured two signature events for friend raising, fundraising and awareness; and strengthened partnerships with the medical community, social service organizations and service vendors in order to increase access to services for individuals living with epilepsy. Andria is honored to carry forth the torch from Co-Founder Bruce P. Chapnick, Esq, Of Blessed Memory, and strengthen the impact JoshProvides has in our community.