Board of Directors

Ed Ricci

Ed Ricci is a practicing civil trial attorney with the law firm of Edward M. Ricci, P.A. in West Palm Beach. In addition to serving as vice president of El Sol, Ed has been voluntary counsel to Hope Rural School in Indiantown for 29 years. He and his wife founded the Ricci-Lupo Charitable Trust, which funds public interest programs and scholarships. Ed is active in development for Palm Beach Dramaworks and Kidsanctuary Campus in West Palm Beach. He also provides financial support to The Public Citizen Foundation in Washington, D.C, the Saint Dismas Society Prison Ministry and Mothers Against Brain Injury Foundation in Florida.  He is involved in many other charitable works in the U.S., Haiti , Bangaladesh and India.

Roger Buckwalter

Journalist Roger Buckwalter spent 28 years at The Jupiter Courier, where he was editorial page editor, before retiring in 2001. He has served on numerous local boards, including as past president of the American Cancer Society and past chairman of the Loxahatchee River Historical Society.  Currently he is chairman of the Northern Palm Beaches Cultural alliance and chairs the community relations committee of the Advisory Board of Florida Atlantic University’s Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College. Roger grew up in Juno Beach and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida. He is a Vietnam War veteran.

Sheila Hirsch

Sheila Hirsch is an 18-year resident of Jupiter. Her professional career has been dedicated to providing accounting services in a variety of challenging fields, including medicine and television. For the past 10 years she has been in the financial services industry and is Series 7 Securities licensed. Sheila spent several years on the production crew for the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon on WPEC-TV, and was an original organizer of Project Thanksgiving. Shelia is currently serving on the Owner’s Board a The Barristers Building in West Palm Beach. An active member at Jupiter FIRST Church, Shelia works with the Web Ministry, and has served as treasurer of the Church.

Lee McCarthy

Lee McCarthy has a long career in travel planning and charity work. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Lee has worked as an international flight attendant, flight interpreter, travel planner and certified travel counselor. In addition to her volunteer work at El Sol, where she is secretary of the executive board, Lee volunteers at the Quantum House at St. Mary’s Medical Center.

Monica Maldonado

Monica Maldonado is the Associate Director of Student Activities at Florida Atlantic University’s Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

As a doctoral student in neuroscience at the University of Texas at Austin, she worked in a laboratory studying Ischemic stroke and how the brain changes after damage.

At FAU, Monica works as a director for various programs, but she is also a classroom instructor and mentor in the sciences. She helps aspiring medical professionals advance in their careers through internships and other professional development opportunities.

She lives with her husband and three children in Jupiter Farms.

Phillip “PJ” Willis

Phillip “PJ” Willis, has worked as an Investment Strategist at Suntrust Bank for 17 years. He is a CFA charterholder, which means he has studied investment tools, asset valuation and portfolio management.

The chartered financial analyst credential is the professional standard of choice for more than 31,000 investment firms worldwide, according to the CFA Institute, which administers the designation.

PJ brings his background in finance to El Sol’s board of directors and a desire to assist in strengthening the center’s fundraising efforts. He has lived in Jupiter for more than 11 years. His wife has previously worked at El Sol as a Plazas Comunitarias instructor.

He is grateful for Jupiter’s high quality of life and for its school system. PJ has two daughters.