TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Bethany McAlister and Stephanie Westerman and the reappointment of Dr. Mavara Agrawal, James “Chip” Byers, and Laurie Sallarulo to the Florida Endowment Foundation for Vocational Rehabilitation Board of Directors.

McAlister is a Partner with Corcoran Partners. She currently serves on the board for Tree House of Tallahassee and is a Guardian ad Litem. McAlister earned her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Florida State University and her master’s degree in nonprofit management from the University of Tampa.

Westerman is a Senior Manager of Strategy, Planning, and Integration for Florida Blue. She is the Founder and current Executive Director of Down Syndrome Nation, an organization that supports families of children with Down Syndrome worldwide. Westerman earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast communications from the University of North Florida.

Dr. Agrawal is the Director of the Agrawal Family Foundation. She is the former Medical Director for Florida International University and the University of Miami. Dr. Agrawal earned her bachelor’s degree in microbiology and immunology and her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Miami.

Byers is the Owner of Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard in Lake Buena Vista. He received the Employer of the Year for Persons with Disabilities award from the State of Florida in 2020 and currently serves on the Orange County Disability Advisory Board. Byers earned his bachelor’s degree from Pace University.

Sallarulo is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Junior Achievement of South Florida. She is currently appointed to and serves on the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors. She is a member of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, and the Six Pillars Initiative in Broward. Sallarulo earned her bachelor’s degree in business and accounting from the University of Albany.

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