Board of Directors
Deborah Stickney-Laczko, Vice-Chairman
Dr. John Bedford, Chairman, earned his Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree in Experimental Psychology from Western Michigan University.
After earning his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology/Behavioral Pharmacology from the University of Mississippi, he took a position as a Research Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Manager of the Primate Center at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy where he remained until retirement in 1985.
For the past twenty-three years he has been involved with home building and real estate development and is currently the President of JRC Consultants Inc., a Real Estate Investment and New Product Development company located in Daytona Beach, Florida.
He and his wife of 42 years, Pat, have two married daughters and five beautiful grandchildren all living in the central Florida area.
It is an honor to have Dr. Bedford sit on the Board of Directors for Rhyan’s Hope as its Chairman.
Deborah Stickney-Laczko, Vice-Chairman, is the owner of Journeys Fitness and Wellness, Inc., located in Longwood, Florida. Deborah is married to Kevin Laczko and has four children, Zachary 15, Courtney 13, Ashland 4, Samantha 1 1/2.
At birth, Ashland was diagnosed with a mild hearing loss in her left ear only. This loss was consistent until her 18 month check-up. In 2007, after Ashland grew increasingly frustrated, she was finally diagnosed with a bilateral moderate to severe hearing loss. Her hearing loss is progressively getting worse and the Laczko’s have found themselves on a mission to find out why. As the Bible says, they can do all things through Christ that strengthens them, and they live by that motto.
It is because of Ashland that Debbie and I found each other and I am so grateful to have her sit on our Board as the Vice-Chair.
Dana McBroom, Treasurer, graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.S.B.A. in accounting and an M.B.A. She then successfully received her C.P.A. designation. She is a senior manager at Lanier and Company, P.A., a Sanford C.P.A. firm. Her experience includes but is not limited to business valuations, review, reconciliation and preparation of various tax returns (corporate, partnership, individual, estate, fiduciary, nonprofit, state, payroll, etc.), nonprofit entity accounting and review, pension and profit sharing accounting and review (including the calculation of contributions and filing of all appropriate government forms), and preparation and review of financial statements.
Dana is a Certified Valuation Analyst designated by the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts and has earned the Accredited Business Valuation (ABV) designation through the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). She counsels business owners and their advisors on a myriad of business issues including valuing a business enterprise, creating financing, forensic accounting, profit enhancement, strategic planning, etc.
Dana is also a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, a designation awarded by The National Institute for Excellence in Professional Education, LLC in conjunction with the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants and various other state societies.
Dana currently serves as Vice Chairman on the Board of the Seminole County Port Authority and previously served as Secretary and Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Lake Mary/Heathrow Chamber of Commerce.
Dana has been married to Dave fourteen years and is the mother of two children, David and Gracie. Gracie was cochlear implanted at the age 3 ½ in April 2003. The McBroom family attends Northland Community Church in Longwood.
Dana has been a profound asset to Rhyan’s Hope and I couldn’t have asked for a better Treasurer for our mission.
Jennifer Fowler, Secretary, was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, where the majority of her family still resides. She has her nursing degree from the college of St. Catherine’s in St. Paul and went from being an ICU/Cardiac nurse for three years to Pharmaceutical sales with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Jenn worked with Pfizer for seven years before leaving to stay home with her children. Jenn has been married to Jim for nine years and they have three beautiful little girls, Mady age 7, Libby age 5. It took two years of paperwork before Jim and Jenn were able to travel to Jiangxi, China and adopt their youngest, Emma. Emma is now 2 ½ and the Fowler family is complete.
Jenn is one of the most precious, loving and giving people I know, and Rhyan’s Hope is better because she is part of it.
Martha Lynn Taylor, Director, was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. She and her husband, Danny, will celebrate 38 years of marriage in August and are currently building their dream home/farm in Springville, Alabama.
In 1971, Martha graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from Memphis State University (now The University of Memphis).
Martha was a teacher in the Memphis area for 8 years. She taught for two years in the public school system and 6 years at Sky View Baptist Academy. Martha ‘retired’ from teaching in 1980 after adopting their only child, Jessica.
The Taylor family has lived in Birmingham, Alabama for 27 years where Danny owns and operates his own commercial door and hardware business.
Martha and Danny co-managed Forever Living Products for the state of Alabama for three years. Martha was responsible for sales meetings, state conventions and inventory control. Since then, Mrs. Taylor has spent most of my time as a home executive, mother and volunteer for various organizations, including President of the Trussville Literary Club, Beautification Board member for the City of Trussville, President of Birmingham Women's Softcourt League, secretary of Tutwiler Farm Ladies' Association and board member of Hewitt Trussvile Middle School, Jr. High and High School.
Martha has also worked with the children’s choir, GA’s and VBS and taught a ladies' Sunday School class for 15 years at the First Baptist Church of Trussville as well as having served on the Decorating Committee and Women's Ministry Committee there.
Martha is Rhyan’s great-Aunt and is priceless to our lives and to Rhyan’s Hope.
“I'm honored and excited to be included on this board of what I think is a wonderful organization to help children like our precious Rhyan to have the miracle of being able to hear. I believe that this effort has been ordained by God and through the obedience of His children, Matt and Courtney Baker and all of those who are helping and contributing, that it will be blessed and the Lord will be glorified.” Martha Taylor