Our Board
FÉ FLORIMON
Founder and President
Fe Florimón is the Founder and President of CSFHC. She is a bilingual educator and community leader known for her commitment to building relationships and caring approach toward families, youths and communities.
Fe has a broad combined experience in both public and private sectors. Before joining the public sector, she worked for almost two decades in the private sector. Parts of her work experience include the travel industry, and business administration (Corporate Travel and Group Consultant, and Small Business Administration). In the public sector, Fe’s worked for several community-based organizations in the capacity of bilingual educator and program administrator. In both sectors, she had the opportunity to work with individuals and families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. She has also worked with the New York State Correctional Facility System, NYC Department of Education, John Jay College, and collaborated with other government agencies like NYC Administration for Children’s Services.
Fe has earned an extensive and outstanding volunteer record of commitments. As an ardent advocate of education and civic engagement, she has served in several leadership positions. She was appointed twice to the Community Education Council of School District 6 (CEC 6) by the Manhattan Borough Presidents Scott Stringer and Gale A. Brewer. During her appointment, she served as President of the Council and Chair of the Public Relations Committee. For over a decade, Fe has served as the Chair of the Youth and Education Committee of Community Board 12M (CB12M). She also served at the United Nations helping organize fundraising events and supervised their information Kiosk’s activities and tourists’ inquiries.
Fe encourages and supports young people to succeed. She promotes higher education and provides opportunities for young people to exercise and develop leadership skills through public speaking events, develops venues where they can showcase their talents, and publicly acknowledges their accomplishments at community events. She also served as a student mentor at The City College of New York. For several years, Fe was a member of the Isabella Foundation and Edward J. McFadden Scholarship Committee helping many underserved students receive scholarships. She also facilitated and organized to promote intergenerational relationships. Her work and leadership commitment is recognized by the NYC Chancellor of Education, Barack Obama Democratic Club, George Washington Educational Campus, NYPD 33 rd Pct., and Public Officials, for the many contributions she has made to support and improve the lives of families, youth, elders, and school communities.
Fe holds a Master’s of Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The City College of New York.
SHADINA CHARLES
Vice President
Originally from the Caribbean, Shadina Charles ambitious with a deep passion for the performing arts, specifically scriptwriting and stage performance. To date, she has authored over twenty-eight books, a practice she initially began to help overcome memory trauma. Miss Charles has extensive experience working with non-governmental organizations across the fields of education, agriculture, marine biology, and the arts. Her work focuses on helping students in rural communities thrive and teaching literacy to senior citizens. In addition to her professional pursuits, she has served as a volunteer Community Officer for the police department, collaborating with schools to reduce truancy. Currently, Miss Charles is a dedicated parent leader at the School District 6 (SD6), including/extended to the High School for Health Careers and Sciences at the George Washington Campus in Washington Heights. In this role, she works closely with the school’s administration to support students and their families. She is also a strong advocate for the "Police and Youth Building Bridges" initiative in Manhattan and serves as a Family Connector for the NYC Department of Education Office of Family Engagement.
Above all, Miss Charles is most proud of being a role model for her daughters and granddaughters. She is committed to educating them about the justice system and societal frameworks to ensure they are equipped to think and act positively.
VICENTE MALAVÉ
Vicente Malavé, MBA, PMP, is an accomplished technology leader with more than 25 years of experience across nonprofit and private sector organizations.
As Senior IT Manager at the William T. Grant Foundation, he oversees technology strategy, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and operations. Prior to joining the Foundation, he led IT operations for FreshDirect facilities throughout the Northeast and has supported several nonprofit and youth-serving organizations in Philadelphia and New York City.
In addition to his professional responsibilities, Vicente is active in community service and governance, serving in leadership roles with local nonprofit and residential organizations.
Vicente holds an MBA in Information Systems from Fordham University and a BA in Design from the University of Pennsylvania.
Treasurer
RUTHLYN BELNAVIS
Secretary
Ruthlyn Consuelo Belnavis, is a Paralegal I at the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice, with over 30 years of dedicated service. She is also the Creator and Project Manager of Connie’s Closet and The Baby Boutique for Pregnant and Parenting Teens, initiatives that support young people in foster care and clients of the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice by providing clothing, accessories, and essential baby items. In addition, she collaborates with the Unified Family Court’s Teen Day events across all five boroughs of New York City.
Affectionately known as Ms. Connie, she is the recipient of the 2009 Orison S. Marden Award in recognition of her outstanding service and dedication to the Legal Aid Society and its clients. She was also honored in 2019 at the 42nd Annual Servant of Justice Award Dinner for her continued dedication to the organization, and in 2022 was recognized during Black History Month for her commitment to the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Practice. She is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
Ms. Connie holds an A.A.S. Degree in Human Services, and is currently attending Lehman College, School of Social Work, in the Bronx.
ALTAGRACIA MEDRANO
Assistant Secretary
Altagracia Medrano, is a compassionate, certified caregiver with over five years of experience in the healthcare field, providing personal care and basic medical support in diverse settings.
She also has over 20 years of experience in media and communications, having worked at the Listín
Diario Media Group, the Dominican Republic’s oldest and one of its most influential newspapers. During
her tenure, she served in the billing and advertising departments, where she was recognized as an
outstanding employee.
Dedicated to service, she has been involved in volunteer work since adolescence, supporting nonprofit
Catholic institutions by assisting nuns in delivering community services essentially to families in need.
Driven by the mission of promoting and strengthening healthy community relationships, Ms. Medrano
states that this purpose was the determining factor that motivated her to join our organization CSFHC.
Ms. Medrano holds a degree in Systems Engineering (SE) from Universidad Dominicana O&M.
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