About Us

Michelle Beauchamp is an award-winning global brand marketing and communications professional with a stellar track record leading global consumer lifestyle brands. She has held senior leadership roles at Bacardi North America, Vero Water and Triarc Beverage Group (RC Cola/Snapple) where she led global cross functional teams in the US and overseas, managed multimillion dollar budgets and was responsible for delivering commercial results. As a member of the executive leadership team, Michelle worked with CEOs and regularly presented to Boards. Michelle is currently a fractional CMO working with startup up consumer product brands and is a Real Estate Investor. 

Michelle, her husband and son have been members of St. Thomas Episcopal Parish since 2009 when they joined the church. A year later their son enrolled in St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School starting in the first grade and was confirmed in the church. Her son graduated from St. Thomas in 2015 and went on to Palmer Trinity School where he graduated in 2022. 

Michelle co-chaired the Women’s Group at the parish for 3 years, helping to revitalize the Back To School Bash, and organizing and hosting a series of women’s dinners and Tea events, and hosting Sunday coffee hour. She was very active in the school, volunteering on various committees and co-chaired the annual Gala on a record fundraising year. 

Michelle currently serves as a member of the Citizens Board at the University of Miami and is a member of the Board of Directors of Entertainment to Effect Change (E2AC), a national non-profit organization committed to producing high-quality digital, cinematic, and live entertainment for the express purpose of bringing positive change to underserved health and social communities. Michelle also serves on the Marketing committee for Women’s Executive Leadership. Michelle is a sustaining member of Beaux Arts to benefit the Lowe Art Museum. 

Michelle holds an MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management and is a B.B.A in Marketing from the University of Miami.

Leonor Belaval has been a member of the St. Thomas Community since 2007 when her son Edgar enrolled in kindergarten. Shortly thereafter Leonor, her husband (Edgar) and son joined St. Thomas Episcopal Church.  In 2015-2018, Leonor served as a vestry member under the direction of Father Milian and Father Max.  She has been the Director of College Counseling at Westminster Christian School for ten years and prior to that worked for Miami Dade County Public Schools.  She graduated from Florida International University in 1992 and from Barry University in 1997.  Leonor was born and raised in Miami, Florida and feels very blessed to be a part of St. Thomas and share in these exciting times.

As a child I sang in the youth choir and was the acolyte of our church. I have attended St Thomas since 1959. I was married here twice. Two children and three stepchildren attended STEPS. My wife Carol and daughter Cathy were choir members. We participated in at home Bible study and dinner groups. I have served on the Vestry, been Chancellor, Sr. Warden, and attended Diocesan meetings, been a member of the School Board and Chairman of the Trust Committee. I completed the Education for Ministry course and have been a Lay Reader, Sub Deacon, Lay Eucharistic Minister and convener of an adult study group. I helped to form and was on the Board of Trinity Episcopal School. My wife Suzanne was assistant to the headmaster. I am a retired lawyer.

Daniel (Danny) A. Garcia was born in Nicaragua and raised in Miami, where he has lived for the past 38 years. He is married to Melissa Duffy and together they have three daughters ages 19, 17, and 8. Their youngest daughter currently attends St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School. 

While looking for a faith community to call home, Danny and his family found St. Thomas, a place where they continue to grow spiritually and build meaningful relationships. Over the past few years, Danny has helped bring services to those unable to attend in person through livestream. Alongside the dedicated STEPS staff, he has also supported faculty and technology needs whenever possible, helping strengthen how the parish connects and serves its community. He is grateful for the chance to serve and help strengthen connection and community at St. Thomas, and hopes to keep giving back through thoughtful stewardship and practical support wherever it is needed.

Professionally, Danny has more than 20 years of leadership experience, including the past 17 with Apple, where he has led projects and pilots focued on improving team and customer experiences. 

Outside of work and church, Danny values time with his family and is grateful for the relationships and community they have found at St. Thomas.

Richard Allen Grillo Esq. is executive vice president, general counsel, and owner of Miami Regional University (MRU) in Miami Springs. Prior to MRU, he was an assistant county attorney at the Broward County Attorney’s Office where he handled litigation, appeals, and advised the canvassing board on election laws and the human rights board. Grillo also served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve for more than 15 years.

His community involvement has included hosting charitable fundraising events at MRU, Cub Scout leadership, and the Peter T. Fay American Inns of Court. Grillo earned his law degree at St. Thomas University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Oglethorpe University. Grillo is a resident of Palmetto Bay with his wife, Lara, a fellow PTS alum, and their three young children.

Amy Hays was born in Medina, Ohio and was baptized and confirmed in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Miami University in Ohio. After graduating Amy taught third grade and then decided to become a flight attendant and EPT instructor with American Airlines. She married Rob Hays in 1999 and moved to San Francisco. Carson Hays was born in 2002 and they moved to Coral Gables in 2009 and enrolled him in St. Thomas Episcopal School. Amy and Rob became members of St. Thomas church and Amy became a vestry member and served on the hospitality committee from 2013 – 2016. She has also served as an usher and helped with the food ministry at Chapman Partnership. Amy is an associate Beaux Arts member and served as Secretary and Hands On Coordinator. Amy currently works as a travel director and event specialist for meetings and incentive trips. In her spare time Amy enjoys exercising, golfing, cooking, reading and traveling. 

Reed Humphery and her family have been members of St. Thomas Episcopal Church since 2011. Reed has served as a lay member volunteer at the church in a variety of roles over the last 15 years. One of the earliest initiatives she led was the organization of a social group for mothers of babies and young children to foster points of connection, support, and community fellowship, holding Sunday meetings led by Laura Walker and Sue Nichols.

Reed served on the Vestry during the rectorship of Father Mario Milian from 2013-2017. At the close of her Vestry tenure, she initiated the St Thomas Outreach Group in 2017 that consolidated the organization of church outreach activities, including the Have a Heart Tree, Feed My Sheep, and the first annual Shrove Tuesday Supper in support of the Women and Girls Initiative in Haiti, held in 2018. Reed has also served for the past 9 years as the facilitator of the Meals Ministry Group, in partnership with Ann Rose, to give support to members of the St Thomas community through the short-term delivery of meals at times of need. Currently, Reed continues her focus on Pastoral Care ministries, serving as a Lay Eucharistic Visitor. As well, she enjoys participating in services as a Lay Reader on Sundays.

Outside of St Thomas, Reed is mom to Emilia (age 16) and Annalise (age 12.) She is the Managing Partner of South Florida Integrative Medicine, an integrative mental health group practice in Coral Gables that she and her husband, Dr. Hugh Humphery, founded in 2013. As well, Reed is an active member of Beaux Arts of the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami, currently serving on its Board as Treasurer.

Linda Johnson is a devoted Church member and longtime School employee whose leadership helped shape St. Thomas as we know it today. Serving as both Director of Advancement and Director of Communications, Linda built and evolved these departments from the ground up, laying foundations that continue to support the Church and School community.

In Advancement, she launched the Annual Campaign while also leading major capital campaigns, stewardship efforts, endowment initiatives, planned giving programs, and alumni engagement efforts. Her work included creating the Oak Tree Society, Memory Bench gifts, Endowed Chairs, the Legends of the Spire award, and helping guide transformative campus projects and events, including the School’s 60th Anniversary celebration.

As Director of Communications, Linda established core systems and practices that defined the St. Thomas brand, from creating annual reports and launching the School’s first website to initiating social media, managing publications, and overseeing all internal and external communications.

While these accomplishments were the result of collaborative effort, they were fueled by Linda’s creative problem-solving, boundless energy, and deep love for her Church and School. Her work was guided by a quote she often shared—one that reflects her enduring legacy: “Blessed are those who plant trees under whose shade they will never sit.”

Debbie Klem Pergakis has been a member of St. Thomas for over 25 years and has served on the Altar Guild for most of that time. She and her husband Paul raised their two sons, now grown, at St. Thomas, where they were acolytes and participants in the youth programs. Debbie graduated from Indiana University and received an MA in accounting from FIU. She has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1986. Semi-retired now, she was Regional Finance Director for AECOM, a publicly traded architectural, engineering and construction firm. She had various roles over her 45 years of service (she originally started with Spillis Candela & Partners, a regional architectural/engineering firm that was acquired by AECOM in 1999). Early in her career, Debbie was a board member of the Historical Museum and of Greater Miami Executive’s Association (a networking group). Currently, she is semi-retired and working with the South Florida SPCA for large animals and the Junior Orange Bowl Tennis Tournament.

Patricia Lehtinen Silva is a lifelong member of the St. Thomas community.  She attended St. Thomas from Pre-K3 to 6th grade, in the school’s final 6th grade class.  Aside from times not living in Miami, she has been a member of the church.  Her husband, Michael, and her married at St. Thomas and share three children.  Two of the children were fortunate to be baptized here (one didn’t get so lucky as the family lived away at the time).  Patty is now a St. Thomas parent as well with two of her children currently attending the school and the third hopefully joining soon. In 2023, she helped organize the church’s Welcome Back Bash. Patty holds a B.A. from Yale University and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. She is an enforcement attorney with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Karen has been a devoted member of St. Thomas for many years. Born and raised in England, she lived in New York and Connecticut, while always maintaining a strong connection to Miami. Professionally, Karen holds graduate credentials in healthcare and hospital administration and has served as a nursing home administrator in both the private and nonprofit sectors. She is also an active member of the Coral Gables Garden Club, where she channels her passion for preserving native vegetation and educating the community about local wildlife and environmental stewardship.

Vivian Cortinas, a native of Cuba, has lived in Miami for the last 44 years. She has a BS in electrical engineering and is vice president of Application Development Shared Services for Marriott Vacations Worldwide, where she is responsible for providing services for overall IT Business Analysis, Project Management, Quality Assurance, and Release Management. At St. Thomas Church, she has served on the vestry as vestry clerk, junior warden and senior warden. Vivian has also co-chaired multiple church ministries, and has been a choir member, Lay Reader, and Chalice Bearer. In the Diocese, she served on the Bishop's Council of Advice on Human Sexuality, has been a delegate to the annual Episcopal Diocesan Convention, and was co-host of an Episcopal radio show that was broadcasted live, every Saturday morning, for a year. At STEPS, Vivian has served on the Board of Trustees and was president of the STEPS Parents’ Association twice. At Palmer Trinity School, Vivian is currently a member of the Board of Trustees and she also served as secretary, president-elect, and president of the Palmer Trinity Parents’ Association. She is married to Henry Cortinas, has two children, and one granddaughter.