Meet the Team
Nick Garofolo – Founder
After a highly successful career in the financial services industry, Nick was impacted by a degenerative eye disease that severely affected his vision. But Nick is a problem solver and a creator at heart, so together with the full support of his wife Diane, he has refocused his time and resources on how he can positively impact thousands of other families affected by disability. Nick and Diane recognize that the disability and care ecosystem is failing those who need it most and family caregivers are left to navigate the journey unsupported and alone. For over seven years, Nick and Diane have committed themselves to creating myHana, with a goal to transform family and unpaid caregiving with the information, supportive community and tools needed to help them build confidence and thrive in their caregiving journey.
Rachel Starr, VP of Operations
Rachel Starr is the dynamic powerhouse behind a host of compelling and award-winning marketing strategies and interactive mobile and online events, spaces and places. Blending creativity with an unflappable sense of organization, Rachel brings over two decades of professional experience in various roles that highlight her versatility and commitment.
Rachel's journey began long before her acclaim and recognition in the marketing sector. Early success in sales paved the way to leadership opportunities in hospitality and corporate event management, where she expanded her expertise in operations, human resource management, budgeting, and strategic planning. At the same time Rachel’s innovative approaches in the face of complex market dynamics led to growth in market share, sales and business profitability.
Rachel thrives in environments where she is constantly learning, improving, and adapting. She leans on innate qualities of patience and attention to detail, while her management, decision-making, and strategic planning skills serve as an essential foundation for repeated successes. These are qualities for which myHana and its community are fortunate to benefit.
Rachel is a devoted mother to two vibrant teenagers. Balancing work and family life has helped her develop a resilience that is reflected in her approach to every project she undertakes. A lover of the mountains, Rachel is at her best when she's outdoors, where she draws inspiration from the beauty of nature. This passion extends into her work, where she infuses a breath of fresh air into each project she handles.
But let's not forget her lifeline - coffee! It's not just a drink for Rachel; it's a necessity. If you spot her with a steaming cup of java, rest assured she's brewing not just her favorite beverage, but also her next big idea.
Jill Reffett - VP of Reimbursement and Payor Relations
Jill is first and foremost a Mom to 3 daughters, and wife to Chris, a special education teacher. Jill’s oldest daughter has a dual diagnosis of Down Syndrome and autism and her youngest has Down Syndrome, ADHD and reactive attachment disorder (RAD) related to being adopted from an isolated orphanage at the age of 3. Jill has worked across technology, healthcare and education. Most recently Jill worked at an assistive technology provider that supported individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), Alzheimer’s and related dementias (ADRD), building their reimbursement and payor side of the house, specifically in the intellectual and developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injury space. With service providers and direct support professionals at a detrimentally low place, the family caregiver, already vital in supporting individuals with I/DD, TBIs and ADRD, has become not only vitally needed, but emergent in need to prop up a system at a loss for how we will support an exponentially growing need for both our generation’s children and our parents. She joins myHana with joy and a feeling of expediency, as she knows that every family and self-advocate in their situation needs access to this system of support, education, community and health/self-care.
Ven Sequenzia, Jr. - Advocacy, Agency and Business Development
Ven has been an advocate for families with intellectual disabilities for the past 36 years. He has served as chair of local and statewide Committees to further the education of the disabled in Florida and was President of the Autism Society of Florida for 18 years. He has advocated to make sure funding of services to the disabled have not been cut and helped to make sure families receive appropriate services, both at the local, state and national level. He has testified before state Senate and House Committees and served on the Governor’s Task Force for Autism. He has received numerous awards, served on several boards and professionally has been in the printing, promotional products and marketing industry for over 40 years. Ven is the proud father of an autistic adult daughter and 2 of his 3 step-children also have intellectual disabilities. He has dedicated his life to help other families impacted by disabilities and their families.
Carrie Williams - Community and Support Manager
Carrie has a long standing history of collaboration in the healthcare field. She received her formal education at the University of Connecticut, graduating with a Master’s degree in 2005. She worked as a senior outpatient orthopedic physical therapist for 15 years, caring for and helping clients of all backgrounds. Carrie became an advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities when her son was born with Down syndrome five weeks after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She is currently one of the co-leaders of the First Call Program of the Down Syndrome Association of Maryland (DSAMD), which supports women and families who have received either a prenatal or birth diagnosis of Down syndrome. In addition to her advocacy work, Carrie manages a psychotherapy clinic which focuses on women’s mental health services, pregnancy challenges, and infant/child loss. Carrie has an amazing husband and three beautiful children. In her free time, she enjoys cheering on the Washington Capitals hockey team and fine tuning her amateur photography skills.
