Some people are drawn to philanthropy by a single cause. Ladan Ahmadi Patel is drawn to the people behind it—the volunteers, the families, and the communities strengthened when care turns into action.
Since joining the board of trustees of The Royal Dames of Cancer Research in 2019, Patel has become a steady presence within the organization, helping guide fundraising efforts, cultivate relationships, and shape events that support its ambitious mission to eradicate cancer in our lifetime. Her leadership style is collaborative, grounded, and deeply human—less about recognition, more about results.
That spirit is most visible at the Tiara Ball, the Royal Dames’ signature fundraiser and one of South Florida’s most anticipated charity events. “It truly takes a village to produce a successful fundraising event like the Tiara Ball,” she says. With more than 400 attendees and over 100 auction items, “the undertaking is substantial.”
Behind the scenes, the work is meticulous. “It requires months of planning and promotion, countless hours of dedication, and a high level of communication, organization, and attention to detail,” she explains. Ultimately, she says, it’s the people who make it work. “Above all, the success of the Tiara Ball depends on an exceptional team of volunteers working seamlessly together to bring every element of the event to life.”
Her approach to giving is guided less by category than by connection. “I have had the privilege of supporting several local nonprofit organizations,” Patel says, including the Broward Performing Arts Center, The Grey Team, and the 1st and 98 Scholarship Fund.
What draws her in is the ripple effect—programs that open doors early, honor service, and create opportunity where it might not otherwise exist. These are the causes that quietly shape confidence, dignity, and possibility long after the spotlight fades.
Balancing this level of involvement with a full personal and professional life takes intention. Patel travels frequently, manages two small businesses, and helps run her husband’s law practice alongside him. Still, her priorities remain clear. “It ultimately comes down to thoughtful time management and clear priorities,” she says.
Flexibility, she’s learned, is essential. “Maintaining that balance requires flexibility, discipline, and efficiency,” she adds, noting that productivity doesn’t stop at the gate. “I have learned that a great deal can be accomplished during travel, including on airplane rides!”
In a philanthropic world that can sometimes feel formal or distant, Patel’s impact is defined by the relationships she builds and the causes she helps sustain—quietly strengthening the charitable fabric of South Florida, one thoughtful commitment at a time.
Much of Michael D. Wild’s professional life takes place in rooms where conversations slow and voices drop. Estate plans are drafted, contingencies discussed, futures mapped with care. And yet, in person, he is lighthearted and quick with a joke, impeccably dressed, and immediately disarming. He brings ease to moments shaped by gravity, a presence that reassures without minimizing what is at stake.
As Managing Partner of WFP Law, PA, Wild advises families and business owners across South Florida on asset protection, estate planning, and probate administration. A graduate of the University of Florida, where he earned both his bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor, he has spent nearly two decades building a practice grounded in trust, discretion, and long-term thinking. His approach has earned him Martindale-Hubbell’s AV® Preeminent rating and recognition from Super Lawyers, South Florida Business & Wealth, and Gold Coast’s “40 Under 40.”
Beyond his legal practice, Wild has become a steady presence in Broward County’s nonprofit community. Over the years, he has held leadership roles with organizations including 211 Broward, HANDY, ARC Broward, the Boys & Girls Club of Broward County, the Broward College Foundation, the NSU Ambassador Board, the Broward Sheriff’s Advisory Council, and the American Cancer Society. Today, he serves on nine nonprofit boards, most of them focused on children and families.
His introduction to philanthropy was pragmatic rather than poetic. “When I started, it was mainly about business,” Wild says. “Networking in the nonprofit community provided me with opportunities I never would have encountered in the traditional networking venues.” But proximity changes perspective. “After volunteering, I truly became passionate about the causes and about making Broward County an overall better home for my family.”
That passion is rooted in gratitude, particularly for his children. “I recognize how extremely fortunate I am and the desire to give back is constant,” he says. “But I am most grateful for the health, happiness, and success of my children. Not all children are as fortunate.” The causes he supports reflect that awareness. “Each nonprofit that I support is directly aligned with the desire to assist children, though health, housing, education, safety, or even just helping them live a stable and consistent life.”
Wild is selective about where he commits his time. “The causes are all noble, but not all nonprofits are a good fit,” he says. “For me to serve on a board or committee, there needs to be a clear direction set by an impressive CEO, a strong board full of people who give a combination of time, talent, and treasure, and a creative development team that comes up with original events and fundraising campaigns.”
Balance, he admits, is the question he hears most often. “I currently serve on nine nonprofit boards,” he says, recalling a time when the number was even higher. “Ten years ago, I served on fourteen nonprofit boards.” Then comes the explanation that ties it all together. “The dirty secret is that philanthropy is my passion and my hobby. Some people travel, some play recreational sports, some fix cars or paint or dance; I volunteer.”
By any football metric, Mike and Maurkice Pouncey have built careers most players only dream of—national championships at the Florida Gators, first-round NFL draft selections, multiple Pro Bowls and All-Pro honors, and more than a decade anchoring offensive lines for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Miami Dolphins. That chapter reached a symbolic milestone last December with Maurkice’s induction into the Steelers Hall of Fame.
“I wake up smiling, thinking, that really did happen, right?” Maurkice says with a laugh. “It’s crazy.”
For the twins, recognition has never been the end point. It’s simply a marker—one that signals the freedom to move forward with intention.
Born one minute apart and raised in Lakeland, Florida, the Pouncey twins learned early that success wasn’t guaranteed. Those formative years instilled discipline and perspective—traits that carried them through college and into the NFL.
As their professional careers unfolded, the brothers paid close attention to veterans who treated community involvement as responsibility rather than obligation. Former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch stood out. “When we first got to the league, he was someone we looked up to,” Maurkice recalls. “He gave back everything.”
Walking away from the game, they say, came with reflection rather than regret. “We miss parts of it,” they admit. “Football was everything for us for a long time—it set us up to enjoy the life we have today. But it feels good to walk away on our own terms.”
That clarity now shapes how they build beyond the field. The Team Pouncey Foundation operates as a focused extension of the brothers’ values, structured to stay present and responsive. Led day-to-day by their mother, it remains a family effort. “We get a lot of the credit,” Mike admits, “but it’s the people in the background who make it possible.”
The same long-view mindset carries into their business pursuits. Twin P Whiskey and their partnership with Tropical Distillers on J.F. Haden’s artisanal liqueurs reflect a measured, relationship-first approach. “For us, it’s always about people,” they explain. “We need to feel the energy, the work ethic, the connection. We invest in people before ideas.”
Working together has made that transition seamless. “It makes it easy,” they say. “We’ve always counted on each other. Our family taught us the importance of staying close, building together, and showing up the right way.”
Jay Shirodkar has built his career around intention—how spaces feel, who they welcome, and what they quietly stand for. While he is widely known as a restaurateur and entrepreneur, his work beyond the dining room reveals an equally defining commitment to service.
Shirodkar’s latest venture, Jay’s in Flagler Village, offers a glimpse into that mindset. Housed inside a former church, the setting reflects his belief in honoring tradition while allowing spaces to evolve. “I think it’s a perfect metaphor for what we’re doing,” he says. “It’s about honoring tradition while reifying the experience.” Still, the restaurant itself is only part of a much larger philosophy.
Philanthropy—particularly animal welfare—has long been central to Shirodkar’s life. A lifelong dog lover, he has personally fostered, rescued, and financially supported the rehabilitation of dozens of dogs over the years. His commitment is driven by a belief that care should be practical, compassionate, and ongoing.
His dedication is intentionally woven into his businesses. Jay’s is among Fort Lauderdale’s first truly dog-friendly steakhouses, welcoming dogs at the bar and embedding animal advocacy into the culture of the restaurant. Across his restaurant group, Shirodkar regularly partners with and donates to organizations including the Humane Society of Broward County, PAWS Animal Rescue, and Good Karma Animal Rescue. His venues have hosted adoption events and, at times, sponsored adoption fees to remove barriers for families willing to open their homes.
For Shirodkar, the connection between hospitality and giving back is instinctive. “Whether it’s a guest or an animal “ he says. “the goal is the same—to make the space safe, respectful, and better than how you found it.” That long-term view is now taking formal shape. Shirodkar and his family are establishing the Suvarna Shirodkar Foundation, named in honor of his mother, whose life was defined by volunteerism. “My mother taught me that service isn’t about being seen—it’s about being useful,” he says. “That’s the standard I try to live by in everything I do.” The foundation’s mission will focus on medical and animal-related causes, with particular emphasis on creating compassionate, well-resourced environments for rescued dogs.
For Shirodkar, what matters most is not scale or recognition, but intention—building things that care for others and last well beyond the moment.
For Debbie Banks, generosity was never an abstract idea or a seasonal obligation. It was simply how life worked. Long before she became the third-generation steward of Lago Mar Beach Resort & Club, she watched her parents model what it meant to give back.
“It was simply part of how we lived,” she says. Her parents’ involvement with organizations like the American Red Cross, Easter Seals Society, and United Way shaped her early understanding that success carries responsibility. That early exposure instilled a belief that giving back was not optional, but foundational.
That foundation led naturally to action. Banks’ first hands-on philanthropic efforts began early in her professional life, alongside her brother and peers, when she helped launch Young Professionals for Covenant House. The mission resonated deeply. “We were supporting other young people our age who didn’t have the same opportunities or stability,” she explains.
Around the same time, Banks became one of the founders of the Junior Alliance for the Bonnet House, a project rooted in civic pride and preservation. Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, she saw the historic estate as more than a cultural landmark. “Bonnet House represented an important connection to our past,” she says. Supporting its preservation felt personal, a way of honoring the community that shaped her. Years later, her continued involvement at the board level feels full circle.
When Banks reflects on the causes she supports today, including the American Red Cross, Junior Achievement of South Florida, the Winterfest Boat Parade, and Georgetown University, she sees a clear throughline. “The common thread is people,” she says. Over time, her philanthropy has become less about affiliation and more about impact. Each organization, in its own way, focuses on strengthening individuals, families, and the broader community.
That focus is intentional. “Philanthropy is most meaningful when it is focused,” she says. Rather than spreading herself thin, Banks chooses to invest deeply with her time, leadership, and resources where her involvement can have lasting impact.
One of the most meaningful moments in her philanthropic journey came through her daughters. As a Bonnie McElveen Founding Member of the Tiffany Circle of the Red Cross, Banks had long been deeply connected to the organization. Seeing her daughters choose to join the Tiffany Circle themselves marked a shift. “Knowing they chose to support causes larger than themselves was incredibly meaningful,” she says.
