Meet The Founder,
Nicole Russell - Wharton
“Giving to Precious Dreams Foundation is giving directly to a child desperate for comfort and support. There’s no delay in our outreach and direct services. Since 2012, we’ve been consistently giving and showing up for our partners, meeting kids where they are and providing them with essential tools to manage their emotions and focus on their dreams.”
- Nicole Russell - Wharton, Founder & Executive Director
Nicole is also a best-selling author signed to Sounds True. With her children and YA titles, Everything a Band-Aid Can't Fix and My Busy, Busy Brain being used in schools nationwide to fulfill SEL requirements. In addition to her writing, Nicole owns Pitch House Productions. The social impact consultancy educates corporations on best practices for serving vulnerable populations and creating positive outcomes for Black and brown communities.
Through her consultancy, Nicole strives to foster sustainable change and promote societal equity. Nicole's accolades include GLAMOUR's "Everyday Hero of the Year," Observer's "Top 20 Heroes Under 40", Walmart's "Community Playmaker Award," as well as a featured piece recognizing her efforts in O, The Oprah Magazine.
In 2020, Nicole was recognized by NBC and Essence as an essential hero for her efforts to serve and support the mental health needs of thousands of youth in the U.S. shelter system during the coronavirus pandemic. Her expertise in holistic healing modalities, certification in trauma-informed yoga and creative tools fosters resilience, instills hope, and prepares youth and young adults for brighter futures. With empathy and bold leadership, Nicole aspires to teach the world how to properly serve and nurture young people's capacity to advocate for themselves.
Meet The Board
Joseph W. Belluck is a founding partner of Belluck & Fox with substantial experience in the firm’s asbestos and mesothelioma cases. He is a dedicated, compassionate attorney who has spent his entire legal career representing injured consumers and workers. Prior to founding Belluck & Fox in 2002, Joe represented asbestos victims at another law firm. He served as a judicial law clerk for Justice Lloyd Doggett of the Texas Supreme Court and as a staff attorney and consumer lobbyist for Public Citizen in Washington, D.C. Joe also worked for Trial Lawyers Care, a volunteer legal organization to help victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Joe lives in New York City and Woodstock, New York with his wife and two children.
Julie Evans is a retired equity partner from the national law firm of Wilson Elser. She served as Managing Partner of the firm’s flagship New York office, led a national practice group, and was involved in the firm’s policy-making. Julie was also a litigator, and developed the firm's professional development programs, education programs, and founded peer and family mentor programs.
She also facilitated a Women’s Professional Development Group. Julie now works as a leadership and business development coach and consultant, creating safe environments for team members and lawyers to grow.
Bernadette Catalana is an attorney at Lavin, O’Neil, Cedrone and DiSipio. She mentors young lawyers and shares Mentoring Moment posts on LinkedIn, addressing specific nuances of practicing law. She co-authored Candid Talk – Women at the Bar with colleague Kelly Odorisi to support women pursuing legal careers. They are now working on a book, Candid Talk Women.
Ms. Catalana earned her Bachelor of Science in business administration from Binghamton University and her juris doctor, cum laude, from the University at Buffalo Law School. She has been recognized for her community service, serving on the boards of BOA Editions, Ltd., the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and the Evan Cummings Trust. She founded daughterlessons.com with her daughters to empower young women, which has over 11,000 Instagram followers and more than 50,000 page views from 120 countries.
Susan has a BA in Education from Goucher College and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from NOVA University. She taught elementary school for 15 years and has always been passionate about educating and nurturing children. Over the last 20 years, Susan has been actively involved in her synagogue, serving on the board in various positions and participating in the temple's Mitzvah Day.
After learning about Nicole's mission, Susan reached out and launched a new chapter of Precious Dreams foundation in Broward County, FL in June 2018. Susan believes that volunteering connects us all and lives by the quote, "The purpose of a life is a life of purpose."
Angelica Alam is an accomplished Financial Services executive, philanthropist, and public speaker with over 15 years of experience in the finance, media, and technology sectors. She is currently a Senior Product Manager at Wells Fargo, where she uses her extensive knowledge in product management, emerging technologies, strategic partnerships, and her MBA education to develop, manage, and scale financial technology products.
Aside from her professional achievements, Angelica is also a passionate and dedicated nonprofit leader, volunteer, and motivator. She is the founder and director of The PowHER Circle, a women's organization dedicated to promoting women's advancement in Corporate America. Angelica holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Riverside, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Virginia, Darden School of Business.
Yuliana Bravo's transformative journey unfolds as a strategic business relations and engagement leader, navigating dynamic landscapes with care through pivotal roles with companies at the forefront of the Technology, Sports and Entertainment, and Media industries, including TRON Network, Oak View Group, and Madison Square Garden. As TRON's Director of Global Business Relations, she not only propels the decentralization of the internet, empowering individuals globally but also serves as a dedicated ambassador for TRON, BitTorrent, and ApeNFT, highlighting her unwavering commitment to innovation and diversity.
Beyond her professional acumen, Yuliana emerges as a devoted nonprofit leader, passionately advocating for underserved children, multiculturalism, and personal development empowerment in emerging communities. Yuliana's educational development at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Advertising and Marketing Communications, adds a layer of depth to her journey. Complementing this, her commitment to ongoing professional development is exemplified by certifications from MIT Sloan School of Management and New York University.
Reverend Steven Eugene Carter is the Senior Pastor of Mount Ararat Church in Brooklyn, New York, where he grew up. He attended Thelma J. Hamilton School and Thomas Jefferson High School of East New York. He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and a Master of Divinity Degree in Theology from Duke University School of Divinity in Durham, North Carolina.
Since taking over as Senior Pastor, the church has grown significantly, with over 1800 new members joining. He has also spoken at various events and is the author of the book Resurrection from Rejection: Healing from 7 Areas of Rejection in Your Life. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated.
Ken Halperin is a partner at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro & Halperin, a boutique civil litigation firm in New York City. As a trial attorney, he handles a wide range of cases, including general negligence, automobile liability, and construction law. He manages both the litigation and day-to-day aspects of the cases he works on.
Ken is also active in the legal community and serves on the boards of several organizations. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer and performs pro bono work to support the community, including providing legal services to indigent women and cancer patients in need.
Jason Humble is the Founder and Chairman of Humble Capital Group, where he consults on raising capital for early-stage start-ups. He helps his clients understand and navigate risk management and capitalize on opportunities across varying major markets.
Mr. Humble has raised over $500 million in different sectors and industries, due to his extensive experience and industry insight. He is also involved in charitable work, serving on the board of Precious Dreams Foundation and as a Strategic Board member for The Xcellence Foundation.
Eunice started her own graphic design business in high school after receiving a Wacom tablet and Corel Painter for her birthday. She then interned at Tiger Beat and Teen Beat magazines before designing at Penguin Books. For the past ten years, she has been an Associate Creative Director at FCB Health, launching and leading brands.
Eunice is a cum laude graduate of Harvard University with a BS in Visual and Environmental Studies with a concentration in painting. Her work has been awarded a Bronze Clio and a DTC Perspectives Gold, and she has been a finalist for the Global Awards and the Creative Floor Awards. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family in Lower Manhattan and teaching hip-hop classes.
Judy is a founding partner at Darger Errante Yavitz & Blau LLP, with extensive experience in complex product liability, mass tort and class action litigation involving asbestos, pharmaceuticals, mold, petroleum products, and machinery.
She has been recognized repeatedly by Super Lawyers® and Best Lawyers® in the areas of mass tort and class action litigation. For more than 25 years, Judy has been involved in asbestos litigation as national, regional, and local counsel for Fortune 500 companies. She serves as court-appointed defense liaison counsel in the New York City Asbestos Litigation where she coordinates and defends thousands of asbestos cases. Judy has experience with jury trials, expert testimony and evaluation, depositions, and all aspects of discovery, motion practice, and settling significant cases.
