Board of Directors

Sandy Kearney has 35 years of experience in management and office solutions. As a consultant, she identified organizational weaknesses, implemented policies, evaluated staff, and streamlined operations — with significant savings to the companies she served. Her passion for children led her to found Angels Against Abuse, Inc., which started 17 years ago with a group of 4 individuals and now has a membership of 90 volunteers. The Angels' mission is to make a difference in the lives of children and youth who have been abused and neglected and give them hope for a better tomorrow. Through their annual Child Advocacy Expo, the Angels unite community partners to work together as a team. It is Sandy's desire for Angels Against Abuse to become a model for other communities in making a difference for children who have suffered unimaginable hardship.

Nicole Spinelli has been actively involved in child advocacy and nonprofit organizations since she was a young girl growing up in Montana. While in high school, she served as a juvenile representative for the Montana Juvenile Board of Justice. Before attending college, Nicole spent a year traveling through Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, and India, visiting schools and spending time with children along the way — experiences that sparked a lifelong passion for helping children reach their full potential. Seventeen years ago, Nicole's journey with Angels Against Abuse began when she volunteered to purchase backpacks and school supplies for local children in need. For the past nine years, she has also engaged clients and members of her Pure Barre studio community in helping make Christmas wishes come true for children served by the Angels. Nicole believes every child deserves to feel safe, supported, and valued, and she is honored to help further the mission through advocacy, community engagement, and service.

Valerie Rankin is one of the founding members of Angels Against Abuse and has been recording secretary for over 13 years. She has helped set up the Gala for the past several years — managing the silent auction, decorations, and assisting with the many other events the Angels host throughout the year. She is also a volunteer at the St. Anthony's Gift Shop.

A fourth-generation St. Petersburg native with deep community roots, Blakemore is the Broker of Record for Vector Commercial Real Estate Services, a Downtown St. Petersburg-based boutique real estate brokerage and property management firm. He has been with Vector for over 20 years, joining after graduating from Florida State University in 2005 with a B.S. in Finance and Real Estate. Blakemore is a 2013 graduate of Leadership St. Pete and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the St. Pete Downtown Partnership. A founding member of Angels Against Abuse, he has served as Treasurer since 2008. Having been exposed to many of the realities of the child welfare system through his wife's work as a child welfare case manager, he has a deep passion for making a meaningful impact in the lives of the children and families the Angels support. Blakemore lives in St. Petersburg with his wife Satori and their daughter, Eisley.

Rebecca has practiced law in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties for the last 36 years, coming from generations of attorneys in Tampa. Her area of expertise is corporate law. A Tampa-born native who grew up in Maracaibo, Venezuela, she attributes her bi-lingual abilities and international experience to those formative years. Her passion for helping people developed as a child in South America and has grown ever since. In 2007, this passion was channeled to help abused and neglected children in Pinellas County when Angels Against Abuse, Inc. was organized. She was responsible for incorporating the organization, acquiring its 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status, and all requisite state filings. Rebecca serves as General Counsel and Board member, ensuring the organization remains compliant with all corresponding federal, state, and local requirements.

Brad Ball graduated from Florida State University in 1992 with a B.S. in Finance. After 5 years in financial consulting, he joined Career Path Training Corp in 1997 and is currently its President, overseeing a chain of twenty Roadmaster Drivers Schools — the largest carrier-owned truck driver training operation in the nation. He serves on the Company's Board of Directors and is a past Board Member of the Commercial Vehicle Training Association. Mr. Ball is also CEO and Co-Founder of Deep Glow Technologies, Inc., which manufactures and sells quality underwater lighting products for residential and commercial waterfront properties internationally. He joined the Angel Board 15 years ago and has been instrumental in fundraising efforts and taking the Angels to the next level through his many contacts in the community.

Valerie is a Managing Partner at Seabridge Wealth Management, a Registered Investment Advisory firm serving corporate retirement plans, high net worth individuals, institutions, and foundations. She joined Seabridge with over 15 years of experience in commercial and corporate banking, functioning as a trusted advisor to middle-market companies and executives throughout Florida's west coast. Her prior roles include Commercial Executive for Cadence Bank, Regional Director for Citi, and Senior Vice President for Wells Fargo. Valerie serves on several boards in the Tampa Bay area and is a graduate of Leadership Pinellas, Leadership Tampa, and Leadership Tampa Bay. She earned both her B.S. and M.B.A. from the University of Florida. Valerie joined the Angel Board in 2015 and has been an asset to the organization with her support and passion for the mission.

Kim joined Angels Against Abuse in 2017 as a volunteer and quickly stepped up to help organize the Blue Ribbon Gala from 2017–2025. She joined the board in 2018 and has designed all marketing materials for the past 8 years. She also helped organize the 1st Angel Fashion Show/Brunch and continues to assist with this successful event. Kim has served on several boards in Pinellas County and was honored as a Lightning Community Hero in 2020. She and her husband recently sold their 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise and are enjoying retirement. She has also been an executive at Hewlett Packard and Unilever Corporation. Her passion for children started over 20 years ago when she adopted her 3 sons. Angels Against Abuse is very dear to her because of all the support it gives to children in the community.

Mr. Kearney graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Business Administration in 1962, majoring in Accounting and Economics. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1964 and was a partner in the largest accounting firm in the state of Florida. He became involved in the area of training with AAFI, an international group that trained and lectured in the United States, Canada, Europe, and beyond. He co-authored the Florida Continuing Education requirements and served as the person responsible for the State of Florida CPA continuing education programs for a number of years. As a Board member of Eckerd College, he also served as an instructor and lecturer. He is the past President and CEO of Career Path Training Corp. and currently President of Krauss Group Inc., Co-Trustee of the Elmer J. Krauss Charitable Trust, and Chairman and President of the Krauss Miller Lutz Charitable Trust Foundation — all deeply involved in funding education for students. As the organization's Financial Consultant, Mr. Kearney shares his expertise in non-profit management and also serves on the Budget Committee.

Mary Sue Bennati is a registered nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). She started as a licensed practical nurse in 1989, graduated from Hillsborough Community College in 1992 with an associate's degree in nursing, and graduated cum laude from the University of Tampa in 1999 with a BSN. She has 37 years of nursing experience, including 12 years in critical care at Tampa General Hospital before moving into corporate managed care. She became part of a special team of nurses floating between 9 different specialty critical care units before going into corporate management. She currently works as an auditor for multiple payors across the country. Her passion is to help those in need, which led her to Angels Against Abuse Inc., where she has been involved in many charities across the Bay Area for many years.

Molli is a graduate of St. Petersburg College, where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Biology. She currently works as an accountant for CCT Sciences, a forward-thinking biotechnology company founded in 2022 dedicated to advancing nanotechnology, cannabinoids, and other emerging technologies. Molli leverages her scientific knowledge, analytical skills, and expertise in operations management to collaborate closely with the CEO, ensuring financial stability and fostering the company's growth. As a lover of the outdoors, much of her free time is spent volunteering with Florida Fish and Wildlife where she gives youth tours, does habitat restoration, and helps with local beach cleanup events. Molli has also been volunteering with Angels Against Abuse since 2018 after seeing firsthand the impact of their Christmas Giving Event. She feels "honored and blessed" to have been invited to join the board of directors in fulfilling the Angels' mission.