EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ellen and Alan opened the restaurant “Darbster” in 2009, and thus the Foundation was formed. 100% of all profits from Darbster Food go toward The Darbster Foundation. Ellen works with rescue partners and volunteers in South Florida to save lives that are brought up to New Hampshire.
The Foundation now has two adoption facilities in New Hampshire. Darbster Kitty which opened in Manchester, New Hampshire in 2015, facilitates the rescue, transport and adoption of kitties. Darbster Doggy, which is located in Chichester, New Hampshire, opened in late 2018.
PRESIDENT
Victor M Figueredo joined the Board of the Darbster Foundation in 2017 and was elected President in summer of 2019. Victor is extremely passionate about saving animals. For the past four years, you can find him every Sunday at Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control meeting potential canine candidates for transport to the Darbster Foundation in New Hampshire. He shares his home and life with his rescue Colette (Coco) and spoils her as much as possible.
He is the principal of Koi Design Group based in West Palm Beach Florida, with over 25 years of experience his design philosophy begins with a deep appreciation of a client’s design vision and personality and always using sustainable products that provide durability as well as luxury.
VICE PRESIDENT
Jacqui Michel joined the board of Darbster Foundation in 2019 and was elected Vice President in 2021. A retired attorney, Jacqui now concentrates her energies on various philanthropic causes. She is a passionate animal lover who shares her home with dogs and cats and a very nice husband.
Jacqui graduated with a BA from the University of Arizona and has a JD from the University of San Diego. She is a member of both the New York and Washington, DC bars.
TREASURER
Alan Gould serves as a board member and as Treasurer of The Darbster Foundation, Inc. He and his wife Ellen founded Darbster Bistro, a vegan restaurant in West Palm Beach, FL. For the past 30 years Alan has served as President of Actuarial Systems Corporation, a national software and consulting firm that provides services to firms across the US that provide administration for retirement plans.
Lisa O’Brien joined the board of Darbster Foundation in 2021. Lisa resides in New Hampshire where Darbster Kitty and Darbster Doggie are located and where most of the beneficiaries of the Darbster Foundation transport program will find their forever homes. She is the “mom” of two rescues, Max and Shubert, and strongly believes in the “adopt don’t shop” philosophy.
Her professional background includes marketing and sales and she is currently working as an Interior Designer. She previously served as a member of the Webster House and Manchester City Marathon Board of Directors.
Hope Geier Smith is a managing member of GHS Partners LLC, a single-family office that oversees a diverse portfolio of investments and acquisitions. Additionally, she is the president of the Geier Foundation, whose mission is to donate to charitable causes in the education, scientific and art fields. With a background in communications and public relations, she formed a consulting company, WBB Ltd., for public relations and marketing. Hope was a founding member of Golden Seeds LLC, an angel investment group dedicated to investing in women-led, women-founded private companies and is actively involved in angel investing. Prior experience includes marketing and public relations with Hill and Knowlton specializing in the travel industry, and finance with John Hassall, a privately held manufacturing company, which she sat on the board of. She was also a founding investor in the Dignity Fund, a microfinance institution that is a leader in impact investing.
In addition to her professional work, Hope is deeply involved with several charitable organizations close to her heart. She is a member of the Administrative Board of The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering and is a director at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Association. Additionally, she is a Trustee at Suffield Academy in Connecticut. Hope served as a Trustee on the Boards of the North Shore Land Alliance and Harboring Hearts for several years. She is currently an active fundraiser for Autism Speaks, the Robin Hood Foundation, the ASPCA, and Save the Children Federation. An avid art collector, she has been deeply involved with the Whitney Museum of American Art since the late 1990’s. After finishing her O-Levels at a school in London, England, she graduated high school at Miss Halls in the United States. She then went on to attend Mount Vernon College (George Washington University) and received a B.A. in Communications. Hope is married to Theodore B. Smith III, and they have two children, Briell and Teddy, who both work in Manhattan.
Laura Moore Tanne has been involved with the ASPCA since 2005. Along with her husband Fred she has served as Chairman for the Bergh Ball. Fred served as the Chairman of the Board of the ASPCA for four years and has served on the Board since 2006. She has also served on the committee for the annual ASPCA Humane Awards luncheon. The event honors people and pets from across the nation who have made outstanding contributions to animal welfare. Laura is passionate about local animal charities in Palm Beach county and the Hamptons including Peggy Adams, Big Dog Ranch, ARF and the South Hampton Animal Shelter.
Bio coming soon.
Bio coming soon.