Meet The Team
Kadesha Nicholas
Vice president of Operations
Kadesha Nicholas, DrPH is a passionate health education specialist and practice administrator whose primary goal is to empower African Americans to take charge of their health and its outcome. With a Master’s in Healthcare Administration, Doctorate in Public Health and over 10 years in healthcare, Kadesha prides herself on applying her education and experience to combat disparities within her community.
Her passion for educating the Black/African American community stems from her experiences growing up in Brooklyn, New York and witnessing a lack of resources and educational opportunities. As a Program Coordinator at Columbia University Medical Center, Kadesha used her voice to advocate for patients with Leukemia and assist with navigation and integrative therapeutic services. After relocating to Miami, Kadesha became the Practice Administrator for the Neuroscience Center for Excellence at Mount Sinai Medical Center. This opportunity allowed Kadesha to expand her knowledge and expertise in practice operations, strategic planning, and practice growth.
Upon the completion of her PhD, Kadesha was compelled to change her focus towards making an impact. She founded Let’s Talk Health, Inc. a health education and consulting company aimed to improve health literacy, educate, and empower African Americans to take charge of their health. Kadesha has worked with grassroots organizations, schools and various companies offering health education, cultural awareness, and patient experience trainings and workshops. She has also raised over $10,000 in donations for community organizations that focus on empowering the African American community.
Kadesha’s goal is help everyone live their best healthy life and she is well on her way towards making this happen.
Fenil Gandhi
Medical Director
Dr. Gandhi is a ECFMG Certified Physician who is currently in the process of applying for residency in the US. Dr. Gandhi completed his MBBS career from Pramukhswami Medical College in Anand, Gujarat, India. He is currently working as a Research Project Associate in Genitourinary Oncology Research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as well as a Medical Scribe for Sands Point Nursing home,
Five Towns Nursing home, Brookhaven Nursing home and Caring Family Nursing home. He has extensive back ground in helping the elderly. He is also a part of Karan Foundation, an NGO based out of Anand, Gujarat, India. He provides administrative and logistical support for medical camps and initiative programs within the NGO environment. Also, he manages NGO’s social media groups. Some of the medical camps him and his team organized were at old age homes, foster homes, and Juvenile detention centers around different villages of Gujarat, India. He provided counseling, medical treatment under supervision and educated them on communicable diseases such as TB and Scabies. He wishes to pursue Family Medicine Residency in the US with a possibility of doing a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine.
Joanne Faccini
Treasurer
Joanne Faccini was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She is a strong business professional with an associate degree in Mass communication. Joanne is an experienced Accountant with a demonstrated history of working in the accounting history. She also has a background in the hospitality industry, this background has given her strong customer service skills and social skills that helps her connect with people. Joanne supports many causes that stand up for injustice against minorities. She is a firm believer in second chances and that society should provide more opportunities to incarcerated individuals with minor charges and veterans with PTSD.
Rekha Kanhai
Founder
Rekha Rayo was born and raised in Holland and from an India family. Upon completion of her high school education, she decided to move to New York for bigger and better opportunities. She started her college education in Queens NY with the focus on Finance and continued her education upon her move to Miami in Economics.
Rekha comes from a very large Indian family in which the tradition is to provide and cater to the elderly when they can no longer to so themselves. Upon moving to the United States, she noticed that it’s very common that due to either pre-existing condition or limited availability in time that individuals resort to admit senior citizens to elderly homes. She founded the Artpad in 2020 to provide art therapy to elderly with dementia, veterans with PTSD and other individuals with disabilities. Her vision is to create many chapters in various states to offer this program in community that can fully benefit from this program.
Art therapy has an increasing amount of scientific evidence that proves art enhances brain function. It has an impact on brain wave patterns and emotions and the nervous system.
Board of Directors
Joan Ferrante CTC, DS
Board of Director - Vice Chair
Joan is from Minnesota, USA and got her Bachelors of Arts degree from Bemidji State University in Humanities with a Concentration in International Studies. She then traveled throughout Europe, Asia, India, Morocco. Tunisia, Egypt, Middle East, Polynesia and Australia.
Joan Ferrante, Certified Travel Counselor and Destination Specialist. was a Professor at Miami Dade College at the Travel and Tourism Department and also Department Chair. She was a Coordination for Dade County Public Schools for Dual Enrollment for Travel and Tourism students. During this time, at MDC, she also was a Coordinator with Florida International University, in the Travel and Tourism Department. And, also an adjunct faculty member at Johnson and Wales University and Florida International University. Joan believes that encouraging a “global perspective,” will enhance a person’s view of the world and will teach others to react differently to their needs.