Our leadership team brings together a unique mix of corporate and non-profit experience, making this a group of fast-paced, mission-driven, and impact-oriented individuals. We’re passionate about running and the benefits that it brings, while being laser focused on reaching as many individuals in as many communities as possible through our program. We might not be your traditional non-profit leadership, but you won’t find a harder working, more dedicated team. We truly win together.
Chief Executive Officer
Katy Sherratt leads Back on My Feet as Chief Executive Officer. An award-winning social innovation leader, Katy has taken Back on My Feet from early stage startup to sustainable organization with the integration of new holistic success measures for the program, consistent double digit financial and programmatic growth YOY, and geographic expansion of operations across the US.
Katy has been recognized by The Economist’s Philanthrocapitalism program as a leader in social innovation and cutting-edge non-profit management and named among Authority Magazine’s 2019 ‘Female Disruptors’ and Women’s Running Magazine’s ‘Top 20 Game-Changers.’ Most recently, she was named a winner at the Social Innovation Awards.
Katy and her work have been featured across multiple media and news outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Forbes, New York Times, ABC, NBC, CNN, Fox News, Inc.com, Entrepreneur Magazine, Thrive Global, Popsugar, Runners World and numerous women’s health magazines. Prior to joining Back on My Feet, Katy led global projects for Accenture in their UK and US-based Strategy Practices working with corporate clients, NGOs and nonprofits with clients ranging from leading Financial Institutions to the United Nations.
“I’m honored to lead such a unique, dynamic and growing organization,” said Katy. “You don’t have to be a marathoner, or even a 5K runner, to feel the power of what we do on the morning runs — the community we build for individuals experiencing homelessness is the critical missing link and the reason why we’ve had such huge success in enabling our members to transition out of homelessness and maintain that transition.”
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, Paul is responsible for financial leadership of the organization. He has spent most of his career in corporate finance, having held senior finance positions with Thomson Reuters and S&P Global. Paul was inspired to transition into non-profit work after volunteering with his wife serving meals to fellow Philadelphians in need and jumped at the opportunity to join Back on My Feet in 2015.
“I continue to be amazed by the bond that forms between Back on My Feet’s members and volunteers by simply running together. While we know that running and community help members get their lives back on track, there is still something almost magical about what we do.”
Paul graduated from Seton Hall University with a degree in Business Administration and has a Master of Liberal Arts from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Senior Vice President of Development
Rochelle Patrice Smith is a distinguished leader in the world of nonprofit fundraising, bringing over a decade of invaluable experience to the table. Currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Development at Back on My Feet, Rochelle has earned a reputation as a visionary strategist, a skilled relationship builder, and a passionate advocate for the causes close to her heart.
“I love the concept that Back on My Feet is working to change people’s lives in a way that is longterm. That is really exciting to me. The support that we’re giving is not just one meal or one opportunity. It’s a journey that we’re offering.”
Throughout her career, Rochelle has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to drive fundraising efforts to new heights. Her expertise encompasses a wide range of fundraising channels, including individual and planned giving, major gifts, sponsorships, grants, and special events. With a sharp focus on results, Rochelle has successfully orchestrated diversified revenue portfolios, securing substantial financial support to further the missions of the organizations she served.
A key hallmark of Rochelle’s leadership is her talent for mobilizing teams. She has led and inspired cross-functional teams, fostering a collaborative environment where individuals across departments, from development to mission, advocacy, and marketing, align efforts toward shared goals. This collaborative spirit has been instrumental in executing nation-wide strategic plans and achieving furthered mission impact.
Rochelle is a lifelong learner, having earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a Minor in Rhetoric from Georgia College & State University. During her leisure hours, she finds delight in exploring new destinations, indulging in the arts, and cherishing valuable moments with her loved ones.
The expertise of our esteemed National Board of Directors is integral to the success of our organization. National Board Members run with us, share their networks, engage their companies and believe in the power of personal transformation through running.
President of Global Health, AON • Board Chairman
David Guilmette is the President of Global Health for AON. Previously, Dave was President, Global Employer and Private Exchanges for Cigna Corporation. There he was responsible for leading the growth strategy and overall marketplace execution of Cigna’s Global Employer segment which includes the Global Health Benefit and National Accounts businesses. His responsibilities also include overall leadership of the Cigna Private Exchange business. Prior to this role, he had been President, National, Pharmacy and Product. He joined Cigna in February 2010 as President of Cigna’s National Segment.
Previously, Guilmette was the Managing Director of the Towers Perrin (Towers Watson) global Health & Welfare line of business, responsible for leading the growth and profitability of the Health & Welfare business, and identifying trends in the marketplace relating to health care. Guilmette has more than 30 years of experience with health care and employee benefit programs, focusing on all aspects of program design, financing, implementation, administration, consumerism (including Consumer Directed Health plan designs) and managed health care delivery. Guilmette is a graduate of the University of Chicago, where he received his undergraduate degree in Political Science in 1982.
Partner, Brown Advisory • Board Treasurer
Charlie Constable is a partner and executive team member at Brown Advisory and is responsible for leading their U.S. sales effort. Charlie and his team manage all aspects of business relationship development, working closely with Brown Advisory’s new and existing private, non-profit and institutional clients as well as with their advisors, consultants, and intermediaries. Prior to Brown Advisory, Charlie served in business development roles with Aether Systems, Elder Health, and Integrated Health Services.
Charlie has served on Back on My Feet Baltimore’s advisory board for eight years and as chairman for five. In addition to running, Charlie enjoys skiing, golf, traveling and spending time with his family. Charlie is also a Board Member of the Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board at Johns Hopkins’ Carey Business School and an Executive Team Member for The United Way of Central Maryland’s Tocqueville Society. Charlie earned his MBA from Johns Hopkins University in 2005, and his BA from Lake Forest College in 1992.
“After spending that past eight years helping Back on My Feet Baltimore launch, survive and thrive, I am thrilled for the opportunity to apply my passion for helping others in need on the National board level. My brightest days with Back on My Feet are when I am running and meeting with our members and alumni. They are some of the most inspiring individuals I have ever known.”
Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP • Board Secretary
Andrew Mariniello is a Partner in the Corporate & Business Transactions practice of Morgan Lewis, a global, full-service law firm with 30 offices and more than 2,200 legal professionals. Andrew counsels clients on a wide variety of business law matters, with an emphasis on advising public and private companies and private equity firms in domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, as well as general corporate and securities law matters. Andrew has helped clients navigate complex deals ranging in value from millions to billions across a wide variety of industries—including energy, life sciences, technology, manufacturing, and financial services.
Prior to joining the Back on My Feet Board, Andrew led a team of Morgan Lewis lawyers in representing Back on My Feet on a wide variety of issues as part of Morgan Lewis’ innovative, award-winning pro bono practice. “Morgan Lewis’ pro bono program is primarily focused on helping economically disadvantaged individuals and families in the communities where we live and work,” said Andrew “and Back on My Feet was a perfect match for that purpose. Having the privilege to work with such a great organization and team of professionals and volunteers at Back of My Feet from its inception has been some of the most rewarding work of my career.”
Before joining Morgan Lewis, Andrew was a senior corporate associate in the New York office of Willkie Farr & Gallagher. He received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, before which he worked as a financial analyst in the real estate investments department of an international insurance company in New York. Andrew is a graduate of Georgetown University, where he was captain of Georgetown Baseball team, with a BA degree.
Senior Vice President – Broadband & Wireless Product Marketing
Jeni Bell drives growth of broadband and wireless customer relationships through acquisition, retention, and broadband sales. She is responsible for overall go-to-market planning to include distribution strategy, product marketing, industry insights, customer engagement, and multi-product household penetration.
Jeni brings more than two decades of operational, strategic, and creative experience across nine territories within AT&T. Prior to her current role, Jeni oversaw the growth, retention, and go-to-market tactics for our 16M consumer Broadband customers, including leading our Connected Communities sales team as the SVP of Broadband Sales & Marketing.
Jeni previously headed up Corporate Synergy for WarnerMedia, where she led cross-enterprise teams in pursuit of revenue and subscriber growth. Before WarnerMedia, she focused on long-term strategies for AT&T Communications’ portfolio of businesses in
Corporate Strategy.
Jeni was a Vice President and General Manager leading operations in both Northern California/Nevada as well as the Rocky Mountain Region. In her capacity as General
Manager, she led large teams to overall performance along with business development, multi-channel revenue growth, cost transformation, capital prioritization, audience analytics and marketing, and ultimately market share growth.
In addition to these roles, Jeni held several roles launching new products, such as network technologies, rate plans, and the company’s first flagship retail experience store in Chicago on Michigan Avenue.
Jeni currently serves as a director on the national board of Back on My Feet.
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Cigna
Brian Evanko serves as Cigna’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). As CFO, Evanko has executive leadership responsibility for all of Cigna’s financial operations and functions, as well as for the company’s Investment Management and Underwriting units.
Previously, Evanko led Cigna’s Government Business segment, which included Medicare Advantage, Government Pharmacy, Medicaid, Individual and Family Plans (IFP) and Cigna Supplemental Benefits (CSB). As part of this role, Evanko also led CareAllies, a provider services and population health solutions company focused on value-based care – as well as Cigna Medical Group, Cigna’s multispecialty medical group that provides direct care to customers throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Under Evanko’s leadership, Cigna’s Medicare Advantage business experienced historic market expansion and growth – as well as drove quality care and outstanding customer service through industry-leading Net Promoter Scores and Medicare Stars ratings, positioning Cigna for long-term success in a highly dynamic regulatory environment.
Evanko previously served as the President of Cigna’s U.S. Individual and Voluntary businesses, where he led the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for Cigna’s IFP business, and subsequently re-positioned the business for long-term profitable growth.
Evanko joined Cigna’s Finance organization in 1998, and has served in a number of roles of increasing responsibility, including Business Financial Officer for Cigna’s Global Individual Health, Life and Accident operations based in Hong Kong and Singapore from 2009 to 2013. He also held various roles across Cigna’s U.S. and International businesses in Hartford, Conn., and Philadelphia, Penn.
Evanko earned a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science from Pennsylvania State University and holds the FSA (Fellow of the Society of Actuaries), MAAA (Member of the American Academy of Actuaries) and CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) designations. He serves on the National Board of Directors for Back on My Feet, a national organization operating in 13 major cities across the U.S. that combats homelessness through the power of running, community support and essential employment and housing resources. Evanko also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Connecticut Science Center, the state’s foremost institution focused on lifelong learning through science. A marathon runner, Evanko has been instrumental in Cigna’s partnership with Achilles International, serving as a race guide for runners with disabilities, including Cigna’s sponsorship of the Walt Disney World and Marine Corps Marathons.
Former Chairman/President/CEO, Aramark
Eric Foss was previously the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aramark (NYSE: ARMK), a Fortune 200 global leader in food, facilities and uniform services. The company employs 270,000 people and provides award-winning services wherever people work, learn, play and recover in 19 countries worldwide. Aramark clients include leading organizations spanning universities, colleges and school districts, healthcare institutions, municipalities, stadiums and arenas, and businesses.
While Foss was President and CEO, Aramark has recorded consistent growth in sales, new business and adjusted net income and operating margins. He also led the company’s successful return to the New York Stock Exchange in December 2013.
Prior to joining Aramark, Foss served as Chairman and CEO of Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG), the world’s largest bottler of Pepsi-Cola beverages which manufactured, sold and distributed products in the U.S. and six other countries.
Foss earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Ball State University, and as an active alumnae was honored with the Miller College of Business Award of Distinction. Foss serves on the Board of Directors of Aramark, Cigna and Catalyst; and is a member of the Business Roundtable, the Wall Street Journal CEO Council and the American Heart Association CEO Roundtable. His passion for sports led to an ownership position he holds as a principal investor in the Omaha Storm Chasers, the AAA affiliate of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Kansas City Royals. He is the father of three daughters and resides with his family in Philadelphia, PA and Dallas, TX.
Global Chief Executive Officer, VMLY&R Commerce
Beth Ann is the Global Chief Executive Officer of VMLY&R Commerce– WPP’s end-to-end Creative Commerce agency, created from the combined the talent, expertise and scale of powerhouse global agencies Geometry and VMLY&R. Beth Ann is recognized as a leader with a proven record of reimagining retail, as well as creating and designing commercial programs that drive growth at the intersection of physical, digital and social. She continues to drive innovation in this space with a belief that Commerce holds the most untapped creative potential to grow brands and people.
In her two plus decades in the industry, Beth Ann has touched every aspect of marketing communications across consumer-packaged goods, retail, finance, restaurant and technology companies and brings both client and agency side perspectives to her work. She is a strong advocate of insights-inspired marketing programs and the power of creativity to drive positive societal impact.
A worldwide traveler born in Baltimore (though she considers herself more of a Bostonian at heart—especially when it comes to sports loyalties!) Beth Ann graduated with a BA from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School and an MBA from Boston University in Organizational Behavior. Beth Ann was a founding member of a successful startup purchased by Omnicom, led TracyLocke as the first female CEO in its one-hundred-year history, as well served as the first Global Chief Marketing Officer of Westfield Corp and CEO for Kantar Consulting Americas. She most recently served as Global CEO of Geometry.
Beth Ann is a voice on IE&D issues and has been recognized as an AdAge Woman to Watch, is a member of WPP’s X-Factor, and serves on the national boards of the Syracuse University Newhouse School of Public Communications as well as the non-profit charity Back on My Feet.
While she sees work as personally fun and a bit of an endurance sport, she also is an avid runner, loves cities and making them better, and spending time with her husband, family, and close friends.
Senior Vice President, Walker and Dunlop
As Senior Vice President, Kelly Mitchell brings over twenty years of industry experience to Walker & Dunlop’s Capital Markets platform. Ms. Mitchell is based out of the company’s Bethesda, Maryland headquarters and oversees eastern region structured debt and equity production. Her responsibilities include evaluating processes and procedures to identify efficiencies across the platform, overseeing producers and analysts, and staying abreast of changing market dynamics across all sectors of commercial real estate.
Before joining Walker & Dunlop, Ms. Mitchell was a Senior Director of Multifamily Structured Transactions with Fannie Mae, where she oversaw new production and defined the goals and direction for the structured transactions product line. During her 15 years at Fannie Mae, she held multiple positions where she developed large-scale training programs for junior originators in the broad DUS network, implemented product innovations, and focused on relationship management and multifamily loan product development, resulting in annual production growth and record volume for Fannie Mae. Ms. Mitchell began her career with Deutsche Bank Berkshire Mortgage.
Ms. Mitchell earned a Bachelor of Science in finance from the University of Alabama, Huntsville and a Masters of Legal Studies from American University. She currently serves on CREW DC’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council.
Chief Executive Officer, Populus Financial Group
Jay B. Shipowitz became Chief Executive Officer of Populus Financial Group, formerly ACE Cash Express, Inc., in October 2006, having served in various roles in the company since 2000. Prior to joining Populus Financial Group, from July 1996 to May 1997, Mr. Shipowitz was the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of USDATA Corporation, a software company located in Richardson, Texas. From June 1993 to July 1996, Mr. Shipowitz was the Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer of Westinghouse Security Systems, Inc., a residential security company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. From 1987 to 1993, Mr. Shipowitz worked at Price Waterhouse in Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Shipowitz worked at KPMG Peat Marwick in Greensboro, North Carolina from 1985 to 1987. Mr. Shipowitz currently serves as a director of the Financial Service Centers of America, Inc., the primary trade association pertaining to Populus Financial Group’s business. Mr. Shipowitz holds an MBA from Southern Methodist University and a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Guilford College.
Vice President of Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion, PepsiCo
Dr. Merary Simeon is a Human Resources Executive. Dr. Simeon is a 17-year PepsiCo veteran. Her diverse experiences have equipped her with a deep understanding of the needs and opportunities critical to leaders and associates alike at all levels.
Her leadership experience spans the areas of Diversity, Equity Inclusion, Talent Management, Culture Change, and Executive Coaching. In her current role, she is responsible for developing programs and partnerships that drive continued progression toward PepsiCo’s gender parity goal, elevate the impact of diverse talent across the organization. She also helps ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded within our business. As part of this focus, Dr. Simeon also supports advancing PepsiCo’s racial equality commitments.
She is the co-founder of the What Rules Podcast. A podcast that highlights successful women who have overcome cultural adversity and mastered the art of resilience, all by breaking the rules. Dr. Simeon also sits on the National Board of the Women’s Foodservice Forum.
Dr. Simeon earned a doctorate in Strategic Leadership from Regent University and a master’s degree in Human Resources from Fordham University. She is a native of Puerto Rico and currently resides in Texas with her family. She credits her success to Jesus Christ. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength,” Philippians 4:13.
Senior Managing Director, Accenture
An avid runner and fitness enthusiast who loves people and technology. In his professional and personal life, Vik is committed to going the extra mile in supporting, mentoring, and coaching people to achieve their goals. He is passionate about using technology and human ingenuity to drive impact in his socio-business ecosystem. Vik likes to push his physical and intellectual boundaries.
In his career spanning more than two decades, he has been a trusted advisor and coach to more than 300 execs and have helped them successfully manage their organizations through transformation with bottom line impact. Vik has creatively leveraged technology, (including analytics/ AI), change management and human performance, to do this effectively.
In his current role as Senior Managing Director at Accenture Strategy, Vik has worked in Telecom, Media and Technology Industry. He is a dynamic business leader who is passionate about challenging himself to solve complex problems using creative thinking; bold and iconoclastic action; and data-driven analysis and decision making. He helps his clients with their most strategic imperatives including Digital Transformation, Driving Growth through Digital Operating Models, Everything As a Service (EaaS) transformations, ESG and Strategic Partnerships.
Vik has been published and quoted in multiple business and trade journals including Infoworld, TechTarget, IOT agenda, Information Week and Supply Chain Management Review. He serves on the Board of Quinlan School of Business and has been involved with Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).
Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Afiniti
Nathan leads Commercial Operations for Afiniti, the world’s leading applied artificial intelligence provider. He is responsible for P&L management, long-term strategic planning, and implementation of enhanced behavioral pairing models.
Prior to joining Afiniti, Nathan served as an Assistant Vice President at AT&T where he held roles in transformation, operations, and sales. His proudest accomplishment was spearheading the contact center work-from-home initiative at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With both the health of the global workforce and the stability of global operations at stake, he worked quickly to stand up previously non-existent capabilities for more than 35,000 representatives within a few weeks of the global shutdown.
For the past 25 years, Nathan has devoted himself to uplifting underserved communities. His journey began with the Los Angeles Catholic Worker, an organization committed to providing services and support to those experiencing homeless and poverty in the Los Angeles area. Since 2014, he has been actively involved with Back on My Feet, a non-profit organization dedicated to combatting homelessness by using running and community support as powerful catalysts for personal transformation.
At Back on My Feet, Nathan has served in leadership roles on various local boards and the National Advocates Council. A runner himself, he regularly joins the morning circle-ups with Team Sally in Atlanta, GA, where he sees firsthand the impact Back on My Feet has in the lives of its members. Together with his wife Megan, Nathan calls Atlanta home. Outside of work, he is a licensed pilot and avid backpacker, spending much of his free time in the hills and skies above Atlanta.
Assurance Partner, Ernst & Young
Brent, a graduate of the University of Alabama, is an Assurance Partner with Ernst & Young Atlanta’s office, having worked at EY since 1991 in New York, London, Birmingham (UK) and primarily Atlanta. He primarily serves clients in the real estate industry in Atlanta and the Southeast. Brent has actively served on the Atlanta Advisory Board for 3 years, serving as Treasurer for this Board, and joins one of the BoMF morning local teams in Atlanta from time to time.
One of Brent’s great passions is running, and he has completed 9 marathons, basically one a year since taking up the distance in 2007 – Fargo, NYC, Memphis, Stockholm, Cork, Rotterdam, Atlanta, Vancouver – and in April 2015, Boston on the BOMF team, where Brent, another Atlanta Advisory Board member and an alumni resident of the Atlanta program together raised over $30,000 for the Atlanta chapter. Brent is a United Way Tocqueville Society Member, and he and his wife Erin are active with their church, Trinity Anglican Mission, and Ansley Park community in midtown Atlanta.
“In the same way that running has helped me grow in my self-confidence, health and achievements, I know Back on My Feet can help others see those same benefits. Most importantly, I love how Back on My Feet volunteers run alongside participants with the same goals and many of the same abilities. There is no doubt that teams gathering in pre-dawn hours to run together forge bonds that can lead to meaningful relationships that dignify those experiencing homelessness.”
