Purple Playas Foundation

Parker Lentini is the reason that the Purple Playas Foundation was born. He believes in the hope and love that others share. He is always saying, “You’re never fully dressed without a smile.” Parker has a life threatening chronic condition that doesn’t stop him even through all his treatment, pain, and hospital visits.
He’s endured many surgeries and multiple medications, including shots and infusions. Through all this, he is always thinking of others. Parker loves community service and advocates for children with chronic illness. Parker continues to raise awareness and funds because he heard about families who had their power/cable turned off or who were struggling to buy food because the cost of travel to treatment was causing major financial difficulties. He just could not bear to think that children may not have electricity or enough food because they were strugging to get to the doctor.Mission:
The mission of the Purple Playas is to provide support and resources in the area of pediatric complex chronic care needs and gifting smiles to children and their families.Our Goals:
- Provide social-emotional resources and information on coping with medical trauma to support families and children impacted by chronic illness.
- Playa Power - Provide funding and resources to providers/families of children with chronic illness to bring smiles to children’s faces. For example: funding to camps that support children with chronic/complex illness, food/gas cards to get to treatment, gaming systems for hospitals, durable/medical equipment not funded by another means, family fun days to connect families, etc.
- Support fellowships/scholarships in high need pediatric care with a critical shortage, beginning with pediatric rheumatology.
PURPLE PLAYAS FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS

Rochelle Lentini, CEO/President

Parker Lentini, Vice President

Michael Lentini, CFO/Treasurer

John Leanes, Secretary

Sharon Buckman
Teacher with Pinellas County Schools
Mother of special needs child

Tasha Carroll
Realtor Playa Realty & Management LLC
Parent of two children with chronic illness

Michele Innocenti
Vice President, Market Information Manager
Bank of America

Denise Jackson
Senior Child Development Associate /VPK Teacher
Hillsborough Community College, Dale Mabry Campus

Dawn Khalil
Instructional-Multimedia Developer
USF’s Florida Center for Inclusive Communities

RJ Ledo
Regional Manager
North FL On and Off Premise, Constellation Spirits

Brenda Lewis
Field Operation Supervisor
Pinellas County Schools

Stephanie Lewis McClung
Finance Director
Nikki Fried Commissioner of Agriculture

Pam Martin
On-Premise Field Sales Manager
Constellation Wine

Kristeen Nelson
Partnership Development
AAA Discounts & Rewards

Dianne Patterson
Early Childhood Educator
Retired

Jeremiah Ronshausen
Area Manager
North Florida, Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Sarah Salvador
Senior Engineer, Belcan
Parent of child with JA

David Siambanes, DO
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon
BayCare Medical Group and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital

Janet Wise
Attorney
Sass Law Firm

Melissa Elder M.D./Ph.D.
Chief of Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology
UF Health Shands Hospital
(Honorary PPF Board Member)
ADVISORY TEAM
Anne Nymark
Realtor and non-profit advisor, golf committee chair
Brian Grant
Realtor and non-profit advisor, golf committee co-chair
Amy Wegner
Child life director
Lorraine Blais
Retired pediatric nurse
Heather Bell-Brunson
Pediatric nurse practitioner
Marissa Salvador
Young adult with polyarticular juvenile arthritis
Logan Lentini
Sibling has systemic JA and hypogammaglobulinemia
Katie Buckman
Sibling has Down’s Syndrome
Theresa Russo
Teacher, parent of a child cancer survivor
Melissa Hughey
Executive Director of North & Central Florida Region, Arthritis Foundation
Jane Frank
Parent of child with Anglemen’s Syndrome