Second Heart Homes

July 29, 2026

Second Heart Homes Expands Leadership Team – Scene Sarasota

• July 24, 2026

As Second Heart Homes continues to expand its impact throughout the Sarasota community, the nonprofit—which now operates 14 homes serving 86 formerly homeless men and women—is strengthening its leadership team with five new board members, a new annual fund and growth manager, and additional property management and case management staff.

To support its continued growth, Second Heart Homes created the new position of annual fund and growth manager. Joining the organization in that role is Brianne (Bri) Schuler, who previously served as executive director of the 50 Mile March Foundation and held fundraising leadership roles with The Salvation Army and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“We’re delighted to welcome Bri to our team,” said Megan Howell, founder and executive director of Second Heart Homes. “Her experience in nonprofit leadership and fundraising will help strengthen our development efforts as we continue to grow.”

Howell added that the organization also welcomed Diana Wyatt and Wayne Lorentzen to its property management team and Derrick Boyd to its case management team, “strengthening the organization’s three core pillars: housing, supportive case management and, of course, love.”

The new board members bring expertise in business, finance, law, technology, philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. They include:

· Paul Zak brings executive leadership experience from Texas Instruments, Emerson Electric, McDonnell Douglas, Sprint and as former president and CEO of ACC. He also served as chair of Hope Faith, one of Kansas City’s largest organizations serving individuals experiencing homelessness.

· Matthew Straeb is executive vice president of AlertFM/Global Security Systems and co-founder of the Heart Gallery of America. He also serves as president of the Heart Gallery of Sarasota, sits on The Salvation Army Advisory Board and is a recipient of the Florida Governor’s Points of Light Award.

· Dionysios Skaliotis, is a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch, where he leads Skaliotis Ulysse & Associates. He has volunteered more than 400 hours with Second Heart Homes and the Education Foundation of Sarasota and was named Second Heart Homes’ 2025 Man of the Year.

· Norman Vaughan-Birch is the former managing partner of Kirk-Pinkerton, Sarasota’s oldest law firm, and a former member of The Florida Bar Board of Governors. He has also served Mote Marine Laboratory in volunteer leadership for more than 35 years.

· Veronica Brandon Miller has served in executive and advancement leadership roles with ShelterBox USA, the Smithsonian Institution, Goodwill Industries, the National Safety Council and the Navy League Foundation. She brings more than 35 years of experience in philanthropy, fundraising and nonprofit leadership.

The Second Heart Homes new board of directors includes David Lyons, chairman, James Cox, treasurer, Judge Erika Quartermaine, Thomas Tryon, Claudia Barnett, Dionysios Skaliotis, Matthew Straeb, Norman Vaughan-Birch, Paul Zak and Veronica Brandon Miller.

For more information about Second Heart Homes and its effective housing model, visit SecondHeartHomes.org.