Florida Speakers Association
2023/2024 Board of Directors
Kim Beckett
President
Kim Beckett is a former six-figure corporate executive who woke up every morning knowing that one day she would be her own boss. Using her corporate experience and skills along with her passion for others, she launched Beckett Consulting to help leaders unleash the potential in their people.
Her training and coaching programs create “A-ha!” moments for participants that inspire behavior change. Kim equips her clients with proven, “real-world” strategies that improve interactions, increase employee engagement, and boost productivity.
Sharon Grossman
President Elect
Dr. Sharon Grossman is an international keynote speaker and workshop leader who teaches organizations how to keep their employees happier working for them than their competition. Armed with insights from her impactful talks on conquering stress and resentment, Sharon empowers her audiences with practical tools, interwoven with the latest research and emotional intelligence. She partners with Fortune 500 giants, small enterprises, and healthcare heroes, to create a #IrresistibleWorkplace.
Jeremy Torisk
Immediate Past President/Treasurer
Jeremy’s Proactive-Mindset took him from a homeless kid digging ditches to a C-Suite Executive, deploying Fiber-Optic Networks for AT&T, Facebook, and other Fortune 500 companies, which consistently generated revenues of $30-$60 million dollars annually!
After 30 years in the industry, he and his partners sold their company which allowed Jeremy to shift from building his own legacy to helping others build theirs by sharing the secret to his success, Decentralizing of Processes, Strategies, and Tactics!
Today, Jeremy is living his “Get-To-Life” by speaking to audiences from stages around the country on his YouTube channel about Overcoming Extreme Adversity, the Power of a Proactive Mindset, Creating “The JT Method” od systems and processes for business owners, which generate more revenue and increases profit without spending additional money. He even guarantees that he can find $50,000 to $100,000 of hidden revenue in any business within just 45 minutes!
Marilyn Rosseau
Member at Large
Marilyn Rousseau is a Women’s Empowerment Expert, Speaker, Coach, Information Technology Leader, and Humanitarian. Her mission in life is to empower women from all walks of life to move through Fear, tap into Faith, so that they can create the life they want and deserve. Marilyn is a breast cancer survivor, who is passionate about spreading her message of living a life of peace, power, purpose, and passion. She’s the Founder of Right To Learn Global Literacy Project, a nonprofit dedicated to the eradication of illiteracy in poor communities. Marilyn speaks four languages and enjoys dancing and traveling to exotic destinations. She lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with her family. She can be reached on LinkedIn at https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/marilynro
Fabio Marques
Member at Large
The youngest award-winning executive in a multinational corporation, Fabio Marques started his career as Professional Speaker and Consultant in Brazil in 1996, becoming the Inspirational Expert on Management and Influence, known for helping his Clients with Leadership, Sales, and Service Excellence Strategies that double, triple, and even 10x their Profits while improving Customer Satisfaction and Talent Retention. With 16,000+ hours on stage, Fabio has delivered more than 3600 live presentations, serving hundreds of organizations – small, medium, and large (Fortune 500) in more than 20 countries.
Joseph Gonzalez
Member at Large
Joseph Gonzalez is the founder and CEO of In The Game Group LLC, and Directs the Transit Sector at Leon Medical Centers. Joseph currently oversees a workforce of approximately 300 employees. Joseph optimizes and aligns high performing teams. Joseph is the leader, in championing culture change. Joseph has brought about change in several organizations, with his wisdom and strategies to better the workforce. Josephs Strategic approach, has transitioned underperforming organizations into top performers within their sector.
Joseph has served on several boards throughout his career, most recently, on the Medical Transportation Management (MTM) Training advisory board. Josephs passion to serve, is evident in his daily life. He lives with a heart of service and gives to all. His family is the cornerstone of his life and fulfills his obligations of a loving father on a daily basis. Joseph currently resides in Miami-Dade County with his wife and 3 beautiful children. Joseph loves the outdoors and is passionate about exercising, boating and sport. Joseph is an early riser and enjoys working on his boat during his down time.
Nicole Van Valen
Secretary
Nicole Van Valen, a recognized authority in the realms of Mental Health and Resilience, and the Founder and CEO of Keane Insights. With over 23 years of experience in healthcare, Nicole brings a wealth of insights to the forefront of her empowering presentations. Her master’s degree in family therapy has provided a strong foundation, allowing her to specialize in guiding company leaders, transforming thought processes, and expanding perspectives to elevate effectiveness in service, development, and leadership.
Having navigated diverse roles in her career journey, including behavioral health clinical case manager, learning and performance consultant, strategic customer engagement senior manager, and procurement supplier diversity senior manager at a Fortune 4 company, Nicole’s dynamic background fuels her influence across various domains.
Her studies in Radio and Television Broadcasting complement her tenure as a former Dancer and Assistant Director for the Miami HEAT Dancers, as well as a former Miami Dolphins Cheerleader.
Nicole passionately dedicates her time to raising funds for underprivileged children, both nationally and internationally.
She’s a devoted wife and mother of three, with interests spanning dancing, karaoke singing, gardening, and quality family time.
Jim Barber
Member at Large
Jim Barber has been helping people deal with computers and technology for over 50 years. (The April 2000 issue of PC World magazine declared his web site, The Barber Shop, to be a “top ten site” for professional speakers!) Jim has also been speaking professionally for over 40 years, addressing audiences around the world including the European Space Agency, the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Ontario Hydroelectric, the Atlantic Underwater Testing and Evaluation Center, Linköpings Universitet, and NASA. Jim’s current passion (and the subject of his soon-to-be published 19th book, Think 3.0) is to help his clients “survive the impending AI apocalypse.”
Dave Bricker
Member at Large/ Co-Dean Speakers Academy
Dave Bricker sailed thousands of miles in search of stories—and found them. Since then, he’s helped thousands of people master the art of business storytelling. If you want to say it, share it, or sell it, bring him your story; he’ll help you tell it.
Barry Auchettl
Member at Large
Barry Auchettl, also known as The Blockbuster, is a Life Visionary from Australia who helps people see the world with new eyes, by improving both their physical eyesight and their insight as to what’s possible for themselves and others.
He is also the creator of Conversations, an inspirational game that encourages more meaningful conversations and connections, and he is the producer and star of the movie Vision 2020: from eyesight to insight.
He is a sought after International Speaker and best-selling author and mentor helping people unlock their full potential and achieve their goals.
He loves Australia rules football, music and his six grandchildren, for whom is work and his vision is dedicated to creating a better world for them to grow up in!
Rosemary Ravinal, APR
Member at Large/ Co-Dean Speakers Academy
Rosemary Ravinal is a public speaker, executive speech coach and communications consultant who works with high-profile leaders in Spanish and English. She publishes the weekly Master Communicator Blog and is a frequent contributor to PR Daily, Radio + TV Report and Resort Trades magazine. She is recognized as America’s Premier Bilingual Public Speaking Coach after decades as a corporate communications leader, spokesperson and media personality in the U.S., Hispanic and Latin American markets. In 2019, she left her role as vice president of public relations at TelevisaUnivision Network, the world’s largest Spanish-language media company, to establish her consulting practice. Rosemary was born in Cuba and raised in suburban New York. In 2000, she moved to South Florida, the center of the Cuban diaspora where she is steeped in local culture and arts.