Why Something for KellyMotivated by her niece’s – Kelly Burk Nobbe – untimely death in 2009, Patti Geolat has created a national foundation to help prevent eating disorders (ED). |
OUR FOUNDER AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
PATTI J. GEOLAT
Although we knew that Kelly was battling this monster, we could not fathom that she could go to bed one night, after what seemed like a normal day, and not wake up. The Foundation has been established to prevent this tragic and needless loss from happening to other families. Patti is founder and CEO of Geolat Companies, and a widely known authority on the appraisal and sale of fine jewelry. She is a published author and sought after public speaker with a distinguished reputation for excellence, confidentiality and professionalism. Patti has a Graduate Gemologist Degree from the Gemological Institute of America, is a Fellow of the Gemological Association of Great Britain. Patti’s professional affiliations include a 15-year term of service on the Board of Directors of Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co., the jewelry industry’s leading insurer, including nine as chairman, and a one-year term as the company’s interim CEO. Currently she serves on the boards of the North Texas Crime Commission, Jewelers’ Security Alliance and the Women’s Jewelry Association. Patti lives in Dallas, TX and travels the world extensively on behalf of her distinguished clients. |
RANDY BURK
My hope is that the “Something for Kelly Foundation” will be an outreach for hope and insight for those suffering from eating disorders. Randy Burk grew-up in the small college town of Lebanon, Illinois, located approximately 25 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri. Randy pursued a career in environmental engineering, first, by obtaining a Bachelor of Science from the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in Environmental Systems and Biology, followed by a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and Science from the University of Cincinnati. Presently, Randy is a principal and vice-president of the multidiscipline engineering and surveying firm of TWM Inc., with offices in both the St. Louis Metropolitan and Metro-East regions. Randy is involved in several community regional volunteer programs, currently serving on a government regional infrastructure needs and assessment committee, as well as being involved as the president of the local school board and organizer of several charity fundraising events. | TERRY CHANDLER
Terry’s forty-year retail jewelry career began as a trainee for what was then a small family-owned chain of four jewelry stores Michelson Jewelers. He was a store manager, supervisor, Senior Vice President, and partner, in the chain that grew to twelve stores. He accepted the full-time role of President/CEO of the Diamond Council in February of 2001. During his tenure, the Diamond Council has grown from seventy members representing approximately twelve hundred stores to one of the industry’s leading education and training resources, now with nearly 300 members representing over four thousand retail jewelry stores in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia. In 2017 Terry, along with the DCA Board of Directors and the Board of Jewelers of America, completed a three-year effort that would lead to DCA becoming an affiliate of Jewelers of America and relocating the DCA offices to New York City. Before becoming DCA President, Terry served on the DCA board for twelve years. He has served on the Boards of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, Jewelers for Children, The Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology, and the Advisory Board of the Atlanta Jewelry Show. |
BETH DI PALMA
Something for Kelly is dear to my heart because it combines both my love of service and science to change the way we look at both eating disorders and mental health. It is an honor to be able to sit with the Board and discuss great possibilities of how we can use both our collective strengths and voices to make a difference. Ever since I was little, I loved serving others. I served as a girl scout when I was younger and was responsible for service hours in Catholic School till I went to college. My sorority worked closely with St. Jude and I have always participated in giving back in both my professional and personal life. I have combined my love for serving others with science by working in the medical field since 2009. Every role I've had in healthcare has had an education and advocacy component. In 2015, I went back to school as a non-traditional student and earned a Masters in Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in hopes of being able to use my love of service and science to be able to help others in my community. Since 2017, I have been serving our mental health community in both the behavioral health space and the addiction space. I believe in creating safe places and programming for those that are struggling. I believe in encouraging research that helps us better understand personal struggles. I believe in the integrity of each person on this earth, and I believe that kindness is a more powerful tool than people can even imagine. I have always believed in Maya Angelou's saying that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel and I try to live a life that embodies that everyday. | CINDY VAVRIK
Cindy Vavrik is a Vice President and Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley and has provided financial advice to clients for more than 25 years. As a former Private Bank executive, she has a wealth of experience working with high net worth individuals and families as well as private businesses, endowments and foundations. Cindy’s business focuses on helping clients prepare for life events such as retirement and generational wealth transfer. As a teacher in her prior career, she takes an active role in educating young people on their financial responsibilities. Cindy lives in Orlando Park, IL with her husband and daughters. |
Something for Kelly is important for me because it deals with raising awareness about healthy body image at just the right age. As a mother of 3 daughters, I see it as an invaluable resource.