National Team

Prospera’s Governing Board of Directors and headquarters staff listed below work to lead and support the organization across its national footprint.

Governing Board of Directors

Executive Committee

George Bermudez

CHAIR

Sr. VP, Business Banking & Wealth Management, Sales Performance Executive
Bank of America
Miami, FL

Carlos F. Escobar

VICE-CHAIR

Senior VP, IT Operations & Service Management
AdventHealth
Orlando, FL

Isaac Juarez

TREASURER

Managing Partner
KPMG
Orlando, FL

Sharon Arroyo

SECRETARY

VP Government & Community Relations
Duke Energy
Tampa, FL

Sherry Ambrose

DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE

Economic Development Manager
FPL – Florida Power & Light
Juno Beach, FL

Carolina Blanco

DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE

Shareholder
Hill Ward Henderson
Tampa, FL

Rick Gonzalez

DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE

President
T&G Constructors
Miami, FL

Augusto Sanabria

President & CEO

Prospera

Directors

Thais Asper

Regional Director, External & Legislative Affairs
AT&T
Miami, FL

Amanda M. Dietz

Executive Director/Southeast Regional Area Manager
JPMorganChase
Tampa, FL

Elisha Gonzalez

Senior VP Community Affairs, State of Florida
Truist
Orlando, FL

Jose L. Gonzalez

Director of Government & Industry Relations
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
Orlando, FL

Michael Hernandez

VP Communications
Partnership For Miami
Pembroke Pines, FL

Anthony Lopez

Founder & Managing Partner
L&L Associates
Celebration, FL

Jenise Osani

VP Customer Experience & Sales
OUC
Orlando, FL

Ruben Perez

Owner & President
Perez of Florida
Zaza Cuban Comfort Food
Altamonte Springs, FL

Jose Rosado

Senior VP & Managing Director, Special Assets Group
Fifth Third
Charlotte, NC

Luis Rosero

VP Corporate & External Affairs
NBC Universal Telemundo Enterprises
Washington, DC

Headquarters Staff

Augusto Sanabria

President & CEO

Luis Otero

Chief Financial Officer

Maria Angelica Yabrudy

Vice President – Marketing

Erick Isaac

Vice President – Development

Iliana Tewes

Executive Assistant

Elizabeth Irausquin

Programs Director

Joanna Carolina Silvestri

Marketing & Communications Manager

Frances J. Vazquez

Human Resources Manager

Carmen Soto

Accountant

Leonardo A. Peña

Accountant

Karla M. Perez Fernandez

Marketing Event & Campaign Coordinator

Leonardo Gonzalez

Accounting Assistant

Mirelle Martinez

Jr. Accountant

Vivian Ortega

Fund Development Coordinator

Rodrigo Osorio

Data Analyst

Sofía Tineo

Communications Specialist

George Bermudez serves as the Business Banking Wealth Management Sales Performance Executive for Project Fusion, where he leads competitive strategy, execution enablement, and shared client growth initiatives between Business Banking and Merrill. He drives national field engagement, increases visibility into joint client opportunities, and oversees pipeline management through targeted marketing campaigns. George also ensures data accuracy, escalates misaligned deals, and provides Merrill Regional Operation Managers with timely insights on client experience, strategic opportunities, and relationship-deepening trends.

Before assuming his current role, George served as the Southeast Sales Performance Executive for Business Banking, where he led strategy and key initiatives that strengthened delivery of banking and advisory solutions across deposits, credit, treasury, card, and merchant services. He partnered with line-of-business and product leaders to implement high-impact solutions and drove Business Banking’s growth priorities through effective sales performance management, new client acquisition, and disciplined execution across teams.

George previously served as the Business Banking Market Executive for the Miami-Dade and Monroe County markets within Global Commercial Banking. He led a team of Client Relationship Managers and Commercial Associates delivering tailored solutions in lending, treasury, and international banking. With 38 years of experience in commercial banking, credit, and leadership, George brings deep expertise in relationship and portfolio management.

He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration with a double major in Finance and Management from Florida International University and completed a two-year Sports Management program at Miami-Dade College.

George is an engaged leader within Bank of America, serving as a Council Member of the Bank’s National Hispanic Latino Strategy, Co-chair of the Business Banking Hispanic Latino Business Owner Initiative, Executive Sponsor of HOLA Miami, Executive Sponsor of the Miami Hispanic Business Council, and Executive Sponsor of LGBT+ South Florida.

In the community, George is the current Governing Board Chair of Prospera, First Vice Chair (2027) of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, a past Chair of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, and a former Board Member of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami. A long-time resident of Miami, he is deeply committed to supporting local businesses and advancing inclusive economic growth.

Augusto Sanabria is the President and CEO of Prospera, an economic development, nonprofit organization that since 1991 helps start, sustain, and grow businesses to achieve community prosperity.

A native of Argentina, Augusto attended the University of Central Florida for his undergraduate and graduate studies. In 2003, he began his career at Prospera and advanced through the organization’s ranks until becoming its chief executive in 2009.

As President and CEO, Augusto has led the nonprofit organization to achieve significant growth, expanding its reach across three states, increasing the budget from one million dollars to six million, and growing the staff from nine to 50 employees who sustain programs for the growing number of entrepreneurs served across all service areas. Furthermore, he has developed valuable partnerships and collaborations with national organizations such as the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Small Business Administration, Aspen Institute, Hispanic Federation, NALCAB, Ascendus, and National League of Cities.

Prospera’s service area has grown exponentially, from the I-4 Corridor to three states. In 2011, it expanded beyond Tampa and Orlando to establish a presence in South Florida. In 2014, thanks to funding from the State of Florida, Prospera began delivering services periodically in other areas of Florida. In 2016, Prospera began providing services in North Carolina, and by July 2017 opened its office in Charlotte. Between 2021 and 2023, Prospera opened new offices to deliver year-round services in Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, and Jacksonville, FL. Most recently, in 2024, Prospera opened an office with local full-time staff in Palm Beach County, FL.

A third-party economic analysis commissioned by Prospera concluded that in its first 30 years—with Augusto at the helm for 12 of those—Prospera generated $4.9 billion in economic impact, including over $116 million in local and state tax revenues, $1.6 billion in labor income, and impacting over 47,000 jobs.

In 2024, Augusto became a volunteer member of Ascendus’ Fiduciary Board of Directors. In 2023, Augusto was named Leadership Florida Board Secretary/Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair and recognized among the Orlando Business Journal’s Power Players. When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Augusto was appointed to Mayor Jerry L. Demings’ Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. In 2016, he received the Orlando Business Journal’s CEO of the Year Award and in 2015 the Orlando Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award. In 2013, he was recognized with Governor Rick Scott’s Award of Excellence and named among “Orlando’s Power Brokers” by the Orlando Sentinel. In 2012, he was recognized with the “Compadre Award” by the Kissimmee/Osceola County Hispanic Business Council and by Telemundo Orlando in their “Triunfadores” Hispanic leader and influencer spotlight series. Also in 2012, HCCMO’s Vision magazine recognized Augusto as one of Central Florida’s 25 most influential Hispanics.

Augusto holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from UCF. His wife María Jesús is also Argentinian and they live in Central Florida with their three children.

Maria Angelica Yabrudy has worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 20 years. She has been responsible—at regional, statewide, and multi-state levels in humanitarian and economic development organizations—for marketing and communications, media and public relations, special events and fundraising strategies.

As Prospera’s vice president of marketing, Maria Angelica reports to the President/CEO and serves as an integral member of the senior leadership team. She develops Prospera’s marketing and communications strategy, plays a key role in the organization’s strategic planning, and implements efforts to create awareness of organization. She oversees branding, marketing, communications, and events in the various communities served, helping to advance the organization’s position with relevant constituents.

The marketing team led by Maria Angelica develops tools and strategies that support regional teams across Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia. They coordinate all promotions and advertising, digital marketing, and five annual signature events for Prospera. Highlights of Maria Angelica’s tenure at Prospera include spearheading the organization’s rebranding, leading its 25th and 30th anniversary celebrations, developing two websites, launching individual fundraising initiatives, and elevating the overall image of the nonprofitorganization as it grew from service across three regions in Florida to three states.

Prior to being hired by Prospera (then called the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund of Florida), Maria Angelica worked with the American Red Cross for nine years. During the first six, her marketing and communications responsibility grew from one Florida county to 13. She served as spokesperson, managed communications and public relations efforts, and led disaster public affairs for major disasters such as the 2007 Groundhog Day tornadoes, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2004 hurricanes. During the last three years at the Red Cross, Maria Angelica worked as a regional fundraising officer, leading the consolidation of four chapters’ individual and corporate major gifts programs, managing two major gifts donor affinity programs, and supported other fundraising activities such as direct mail and special events.

Originally from Colombia, Maria Angelica graduated from Texas Christian University with bachelor’s degrees in international economics and French. She has been actively involved in several chambers in the Central Florida region, participated in leadership development programs, and served as volunteer in community organizations and capacities. She currently lives in Central Florida with her husband and three sons.

Erick Isaac serves as the Vice President of Development at Prospera, a nonprofit that helps Hispanic entrepreneurs start, sustain, and grow their businesses. He is responsible for overseeing Prospera’s fund development efforts across Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, and beyond. He manages and implements the fundraising plan for the organization, leading the team in creating tools and strategies to support regional offices across three states. Additionally, he oversees all private and public investments, contributions, and grants for Prospera. Prior to this role, Erick worked for several years as a Prospera small business consultant across various regions, directly assisting clients and contributing to their entrepreneurial advancement. During his tenure at the organization, he has achieved several milestones, including establishing the fund development department, leading technology infrastructure efforts, driving service area expansion, and enhancing the overall fundraising culture as Prospera has scaled its services from three regions in Florida to three states.

With over 20 years of experience in the private and public sectors, Erick possesses expertise in compliance, operations, information technology, financial analysis, budgeting, and business process improvement. He has worked across various industries, including investment banking, technology, telecommunications, real estate, hospitality, and professional services. His professional journey includes roles in Miami Dade County’s Audit/Management Services and Management/Budget departments, leadership projects in the mayor’s office, and participation in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Southeastern Regional Office. He also served as a compliance officer in private securities investment firms and worked with audit teams in the public and private sectors.

Erick’s academic pursuits reflect his dedication to continuous learning and professional development. After graduating from law school, he gained experience in a civil district court before transitioning to various compliance positions at private investment firms. While in South Florida, he furthered his education at Florida International University, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public administration. His studies at FIU focused on Economic Development, leading to a certificate in Community & Economic Development, the field in which he has specialized since then