OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Dr. Sylvan Dore'

Advisory Board Member

Dr. Dore’, an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Director of the Research Programs in the Department of Anesthesiology. He is also a Member of the Center of Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease at the McKnight Brain Institute. Dr. Dore’ trained at the University of Montreal, and McGill University, and served at Johns Hopkins University for eleven years before joining the University of Florida Community.

As an Advisory Board Member of the Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Scholarship Foundation, Inc., Dr. Dore provides guidance and input that helps steer the organization to success by keeping the organization up to date on information from the medical and research communities and assisting in ensuring that information about the condition disseminated by the organization is accurate and appropriate.

Dr. Dore' is passionate about family, friends, travel, water, dogs, horses, architecture, design, modern dance, live performances, and, most importantly, research, health, and education.

Valerie, a wife, mother, very involved covenant member of her local church, community, and Human Resource Director for United Parcel Service better known as UPS is not new to the Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Scholarship Foundation. During the Foundation conception, Valerie was one of the first Advisory Board Members of Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Scholarship Foundation and remained active with the 5K Brain Walk and Sia Yorker Medical Science Scholarship Banquet, even after stepping down a few years ago due to her busy work schedule and family responsibilities.

Valerie is not only a team player, but she is a "GO GETTER"! Valerie's philosophy is either you give 100% or nothing at all. Her heart never left the foundation, and now that life has calmed down somewhat, Valerie is back in the Game! Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Scholarship Foundation Board Members welcome Valerie with open arms!

Valerie Olude
Executive Assistant

Tiffanie Trent

Executive Secretary

Tiffanie Trent is a dedicated mother and singled parent. Working in E-commerce she provides site management and customer service for three high end fashion brands. This keeps her quite busy, but she still finds time to give back to her family and community.

Although 19 years seemed like not enough time, Sia is living proof that “it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.” Sia lived a full life, but most importantly, a purposeful life. She made every day count and strove to be an example of Christ in everything she did. During those 19 years, she touched many lives including my own.

Sia Yorker, was more than a cousin to Tiffanie, she was a sister and best friend. Sia always brought joy to Tiffanie's heart, whether it was a phone call, one of their adventures, or even just a Facebook post. To know Sia Yorker was truly to love her.

Tiffanie will be forever thankful for the memories and the bond the two shared. So, until the day Tiffanie and Sia get to see each other again, Tiffanie will honor Sia's life and memory by serving on the board of the Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Scholarship Foundation. By sharing Sia's story, we will continue to touch lives and raise awareness of this serious brain condition. Together we can make a difference.

Lesly Flynn Yarde

Event Manager

A wife, mother, grandmother, and Greenhouse Specialist, Lesly Yarde has remained a faithful, heart-driven board member of Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Scholarship Foundation from its conception. Lesly has always believed that God used the suddenly of Sia's transition due to a Sudden Acute Brain Hemorrhage to birth the foundation through her parents.

There are so many that have been impacted by Sia's story and have found the strength to move forward in life because of God's strength that is seen in Sia's parents on a daily basis. Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Scholarship Foundation not only brings awareness to the community of Signs and Symptoms of adverse brain conditions, but the involvement in the foundation also gives one the courage to continue to move forward no matter the suddenlies of life.

Not only have Sia's parents been dear friends to the Yarde family, but they have also served as pastors, which continues to afford many the opportunity to witness God's Strength manifested in their life as they continue to walk out the suddenly of their precious Sia's transition.

Shawn Riggins

Mission Ambassador

Shawn, a certified state and national animal control officer, assists law enforcement as the community's animal expert, works as a social worker, and at times risks his life as an emergency responder to resolve community member conflicts, among other things.

Shawn values his role as an Ambassador for the foundation because Sia always reached out with love to help others become the best they can be. Whether Sia is here or not, she has always wanted to be a pediatrician and was well on her way until the brain hemorrhage occurred. Sia was driven and goal-oriented.

I'm thrilled to be able to join forces with such a wonderful team in order to keep Sia's Dream alive by raising community awareness and education about the signs and symptoms of acute brain hemorrhages and other adverse brain conditions, as well as informing and encouraging graduating high school seniors pursuing a medical science degree to apply for the Sia Yorker Medical Science Scholarship.

Dorothy Mowbray

Board of Director

Media has been Dorothy’s passion ever since she turned her brother’s Erector Set and record player into a radio station that broadcast tunes across the family farm. With a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting and political science from the University of North Dakota, Dorothy has worked in all mediums including newspaper, radio, and TV. Then in 1998, she entered the brave new world of the internet! Her latest career has been over 10 years with ROAR! Internet Marketing, a full service digital marketing agency in the Orlando, FL area. She loves to help other businesses achieve their growth goals. Medical marketing has been a large component of her over 30 years in media and marketing sales.

Dorothy loves to give back to her community and currently volunteers with Seminole County 4-H, Northland Church, and the Sia Yorker Brain Awareness Foundation.

Dorothy and her husband Alan have made Central Florida their home since 1994. They have a son, Kellen, who is soon to graduate from Universal Technical Institute, and a teenage daughter, Megan, who loves math, art and volleyball!

Shawnie Riggins Mission Ambassador

Picture soon to come.

Shawnie serves the community as a Water Distribution Technician by working as part of a team to address problems and implement solutions before they negatively impact the quality of water produced.

Being a part of the foundation is especially meaningful for him because he and Sia were the same age when she transitioned. Sia was not only a wonderful friend, but also a sister to Shawnie. This had a big impact on me because it challenged me to think about my life, where I was going, and how I could be the best version of myself. Sia's sudden transition also taught Shawnie the value of cherishing friends and encouraging graduating high school seniors to think about their future, making them aware that there are scholarships available, such as the Sia Yorker Medical Science Scholarship, to help them on their journey.

As a Foundation Ambassador, he is able to raise awareness and educate the community and school alumni about the signs and symptoms of sudden acute brain hemorrhages and other adverse brain conditions. Helping others ensures the continuation of Sia's Dream.

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