Meet Our Board of Directors

Gabriel Ghanoum, PsyD, MDiv, GCC, BCC, CFTP, CFRC, NCAIP, Diplomate in Logotherapy, is an author, workshop presenter, educator, Board Certified Chaplain, and the Director of Pastoral Care and Palliative Care Services for a network of hospitals in South Eastern Florida. He holds various degrees in Psychology, Theology, and Business, is a Certified Grief Therapist, Certified Grief Recovery Specialist, Certified Family Recovery Coach, and Interventionist, is an accredited member of the International Association of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, V. Frankl Institute Vienna, and holds several advanced training certifications in various therapy modalities. Dr. Ghanoum is passionate about bringing spiritual and psychological awareness through his national and international lectures and retreats on Relationships, Parenting, Spirituality, Positive Psychology, Mind-Body-Spirit Integrative Health, and the Psycho-Spiritual approach to oncology and healing. He offers healthcare staff psycho-educational seminars on various topics, such as Implementing Palliative Care Programs, Pastoral Care, Psycho-Spiritual Approach to Oncology, Spiritual Well-Being, Compassion Fatigue, Staff Satisfaction and Motivation in Healthcare, Trauma, and Grief Support. Dr. Ghanoum has co-authored Transforming Relationships; Trauma Treatment – Healing the Whole Person Manual; Meaning-Centered Therapy Manual; Transcending Grief; and 5 Minute Prescription for Health, Happiness, & Meaning in Life, has co-designed several clinical treatment models, bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessment screening instruments for healthcare, and presents in various venues nationally and internationally on mental health and spirituality topics. Dr. Ghanoum is a member on various non-profit boards, is deeply involved in promoting the mental health perspective within several charity programs, including founding No One Buried Alone, a mission in South Florida for those who die without any family and friends at the time of passing.

Marie S. Dezelic, PhD, PsyD, MS, LMHC, CCTP, CFTP, CCFP, NCLC, CFRC, NCAIP, Diplomate in Logotherapy, is an author, workshop presenter and educator, and has a private psychotherapy, coaching and consulting practice in Miami, FL, USA. Dr. Dezelic sees adolescents, adults, couples, and families, and travels nationally and internationally for crisis intervention. Her clinical research and work focus on trauma, grief, spirituality, relationships, and psycho-oncology through an integrative Existential framework. Dr. Dezelic holds a PhD and PsyD in psychology, a Master of Science in mental health counseling, a Diplomate in Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, is a Cert. Clinical Trauma Professional, Cert. in Traumatic Stress, Cert. Family Trauma Professional, Cert. Compassion Fatigue Professional, Cert. Grief Recovery Specialist, Cert. Life Coach/Business Coach/Family Recovery Coach/and Interventionist, is an accredited member of the International Association of Logotherapy and Existential Analysis, V. Frankl Institute Vienna, and holds several advanced training certifications in various treatment modalities, including Couples and Family Systems, Complex Trauma, Complicated Grief, and is a member of several national and international professional boards and associations. She offers numerous psychology and healthcare presentations on mental health topics, provides staff education, and implements programs and support teams using the holistic patient-centered approach to patient and family care, Trauma-Informed Treatment, Meaning within Illness, Positive Psychology, Palliative & Hospice Care, Psycho-Spiritual Oncology, Compassion Fatigue, Grief and Loss Support, Staff Motivation, Spirituality, and Integrative Health. Dr. Dezelic also offers workshops on Relationships, Parenting, and Mind-Body-Spirit Integrative Health. Dr. Dezelic has published a handbook on Meaning-Centered Existential Psychology and has co-authored several works including Transforming Relationships; Trauma Treatment – Healing the Whole Person Manual; Meaning-Centered Therapy Manual; Transcending Grief; and 5 Minute Prescription for Health, Happiness, & Meaning in Life. Additionally, she has published a book of poetry, has designed several clinical treatment models, bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessment screening instruments used in healthcare, writes articles, collaborates with other authors, and presents in various venues nationally and internationally on mental health and spirituality topics. Dr. Dezelic is actively involved in and is a board member of organizations promoting clinical psychoeducational initiatives, cultural awareness, education, psychological and medical support for cultures and groups facing traumatic stress around the world.

Jennifer E. McClennon, MSN, RN, CNL, CHPN, is a compassionate and visionary healthcare leader with over a decade of experience in palliative and hospice care, clinical nursing leadership, and strategic healthcare operations. She currently serves as Manager of Business Strategy at the National Alliance for Care at Home, where she has significantly expanded strategic partnerships and advanced the mission of home-based care nationwide. Jennifer’s career reflects a deep commitment to improving the quality of life for patients with serious illness. At Moffitt Cancer Center, she led palliative care initiatives that enhanced patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes, including the implementation of evidence-based interventions and communication training for outpatient nurses. Her earlier work as an RN Care Coordinator at LifePath Hospice further solidified her dedication to interdisciplinary, compassionate end-of-life care. A Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) and Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL), Jennifer is also a published researcher and national presenter on geriatric oncology and palliative communication. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and is an active member of the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association and the Oncology Nursing Society. Jennifer brings to the board a unique blend of clinical expertise, strategic insight, and a heartfelt commitment to advancing hospice care through innovation, education, and advocacy.

Mark Rufeh is an American business executive with an extensive background in global banking and private venture investing. He is regarded as an innovative change agent, having spearheaded several of the largest and most successful corporate restructuring programs in the financial services industry. Currently, Mark serves as the Chief Executive Officer of The Westchester Capital Group (WCG), a private investment firm. Guided by his strategy of “Building Value From The Ground Up,” WCG combines financial and operational expertise, together with hands-on leadership, to identfy and execute high-return commercial ventures and real estate development projects. His career highlights include serving as a Vice Chairman of Citigroup, where he played a lead role in stabilizing the bank during the global financial crisis. At Cit, he led a restructuring program, delivering over $15 billion in annual cost savings, while simultaneously making the largest investment in the bank's history to upgrade its operational capabilities, technology infrastructure, and risk management systems. Mark joined Cit as Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer of the Institutional Client Group, the bank’s most profitable division, with annual revenue in excess of $40 billion. His responsibilities were later expanded to include leading Citi's global Technology & Operations Division, where he was responsible for a workforce of 150,000 people, located in more than 100 countries, with a P&L in excess of $21 billion annually. Prior to Citi, Mark served as Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer for the Capital Markets & Investment Banking Division of Credit Suisse. There he led a strategic transformation that boosted profitability by 175% and doubled operating margins, in just two years. Mark spent 15 years at Lehman Brothers, steadily advancing through the ranks to become the firm’s youngest Managing Director and ultimately a member of its Operating Committee, responsible for the overall management of the company. Mark began his career at The First Boston Corporation, starting in the copy room and quickly advanced to become Vice President and Head of Mortgage Operations. Mark has a deep commitment to supporting his community. For two decades he served as a Vice Chairman and member of the Executive Committee & Board of Trustees of Graham Windham. He continues to serve as a Senior Advisor to the Board. In recognition of his decades of service, Mark was honored by the Governor of New York with the NYC Urban Empowerment Award.

Heather Wayland is a physician of Internal Medicine. She graduated from the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed her internal medicine residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Her first job out of training was as a faculty physician at the JFK Internal Medicine Residency Program where she supervised resident physicians as well as had her own panel of patients for whom she provided primary care services. In 2024 she became the associate program director of the same residency program. In addition she serves as the medical director of the JFK Internal Medicine Residency Practice. During her decade at JFK, she has been voted faculty of the year several times and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. Prior to pursuing her medical career, she graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and worked as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit. During her time in both the nursing and medical fields, she has been intimately involved in end of life and the dying process of many patients. She has a special interest in collaborating with palliative care experts to teach and demonstrate the physician role in the delivery of palliative care.

Alexxandra Hoffmann is the founder and chair of Bring Happiness for Hospice. She is a third-year pre-medical student at Duke University studying Neuroscience and Spanish Language & Literature. Alexx has been conducting research in the fields of medicine and neuroscience for over four years. She has conducted studies on pre-operative cognitive function status, postoperative delirium, team-based neuroscience curriculum, and computational methods for longitudinal changes in brain volume. In addition to her research, she is a regular hospice volunteer and English tutor for ESL speakers. While she plans to become a physician, she sees the healthcare world holistically and seeks to make change via a multi-faceted approach when she recognizes gaps in the system. The gap in the hospice system is one such example and the motivation for the creation of BH4H.

Katarina Bleichner is a Co-Founder of Bring Happiness for Hospice and serves as Co-President of its Board of Directors. She is a pre-medical student at Duke University, majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Chemistry, and is expected to graduate in 2027. Alongside her studies, Katarina is deeply engaged in both academic research and community service. She conducts research in the Grill Lab, where she contributes to investigations of spinal cord injury in rat models, with a focus on improving treatment strategies for bladder function improvement and related complications. Her commitment to service extends across multiple communities. Among those, she volunteers at hospice centers in North Carolina and Florida, participates in Remote Area Medical clinics, helping deliver pop-up medical care in rural areas, and works as a medical assistant with Camillus Health Concern, the medical arm of Camillus House, serving unhoused and underserved populations in South Florida. Together, these experiences reflect a sustained commitment to bridging scientific inquiry with holistic, patient-centered care while making a difference in the lives of others. Outside of her academic and clinical work, Katarina is an active member of Duke’s Momentum Dance group taking on various roles, and has been a competitive dancer since a young age, continuing a lifelong passion for movement and expression. Katarina’s dedication to compassionate service is further reflected in her role as both the high school and now college ambassador for No One Buried Alone. The nonprofit organization’s mission is devoted to ensuring that individuals who pass away without loved ones present receive a dignified burial service and final resting place, with members of the local community present becoming their “human family” to honor their life and affirm that they matter. Through Bring Happiness for Hospice, Katarina continues her efforts of impacting the communities she serves by offering presence, dignity, companionship, and moments of warmth and smiles to patients and their families during life’s most difficult transitions.

Lexi Payne is a co-founder and vice president of Bring Happiness for Hospice at Duke University, as well as the secretary on the Board of Directors. She is a 21-year-old pre-medical student from Montreal, Canada, majoring in Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry and Religion. She conducts research in a neurobiology lab focused on non-invasive treatment strategies for epilepsy, PTSD, and other neurological disorders. She has also contributed to clinical research on thyroid cancer, exploring genetic mutations and surgical outcomes. In addition to her academic work, Lexi volunteers at Duke Hospital and is involved in service initiatives supporting patient well-being, including helping patients with Parkinson’s disease. She co-founded BH4H to help address the emotional needs of hospice patients by fulfilling meaningful end-of-life wishes. Lexi is committed to a holistic, compassionate approach to healthcare that centers around human connection, seeking to bring joy, dignity, and comfort to patients during life’s most vulnerable moments.