Tallahassee, FL — In a critical meeting Thursday afternoon, the Hope Florida Foundation Board took its first formal steps to address a series of compliance lapses and governance concerns that have drawn increasing scrutiny from lawmakers and the public. The board reconvened at 4 p.m. after an earlier attempt was derailed by what appeared to be a coordinated cyberattack.
The morning session, held virtually, was interrupted by hundreds of suspicious log-in attempts — consistent with a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack — forcing a postponement.
Joshua Hay, Chair of the Foundation’s board and CEO of Indelible Solutions, opened the rescheduled meeting with a focus on correcting deficiencies he had acknowledged earlier in the week before the Florida House Health Care Budget Subcommittee.
Joining Hay at the meeting were Stephanie White — Founder of Florida Adoptions; Tina Vidal-Duart — CEO of CDR Health; Fatima Perez — Director at Koch LLC; Wendy Nissan — Co-Founder of DIY.FUND; and legal counsel Jeff Aaron. Nissan joined the board to fill the vacancy left by Jake Farmer, Senior Director at Walgreens, who recently resigned. Hay acknowledged Farmer’s early contributions and welcomed Nissan’s expertise as the Foundation begins implementing reforms.
The board approved several foundational actions, including adopting articles of incorporation, reviewing the IRS Form 990 for legal compliance, and completing other documentation required under Florida law. Hay said he would continue working with legal counsel and external accountants to ensure the filings are accurate and would return to the board for further approval if revisions are needed.
One of the most pressing issues discussed was the Foundation’s lack of an annual budget. Hay offered to begin drafting a preliminary version in coordination with the Department of Children and Families, citing the need for clear financial planning as the organization looks toward hiring staff and establishing operational stability.
“As you all know, and as we’ve spoken about, there’s no staff, so a lot of those responsibilities are falling on me,” Hay noted. “I am helping out to move the Foundation forward, and I will start development of the budget in coordination with the Department.”
Throughout the meeting, Stephanie White and Tina Vidal-Duart emphasized the need for increased transparency and accountability, at times challenging motions and encouraging stronger governance practices.
Vidal-Duart also raised concerns about ongoing oversight responsibilities, prompting a broader discussion about how to manage operations in the absence of staff. Hay agreed to continue overseeing compliance but acknowledged the need for longer-term solutions, including hiring an Executive Director and exploring interim support from DCF.
“It is obviously too much work for one person to handle, and I think all of us would be willing to step up and take on responsibility for some of these things going forward,” Vidal-Duart said.
The board also agreed to shift from quarterly to monthly meetings in order to better monitor progress and maintain oversight.
Separately, Hay confirmed that Mohammad Jazil — who had been brought in to provide legal counsel during the compliance turnaround — submitted his resignation. Hay credited Jazil for contributing to efforts to bring the Foundation into compliance. The resignation followed calls from Rep. Alex Andrade for the board to reconsider the relationship after reports emerged linking Jazil to a political committee connected to a controversial grant.
While questions remain about the Foundation’s long-term structure and funding model, Thursday’s meeting marked a shift toward more formal oversight and internal reform.
Hay’s commitment reflects not only a response to crisis, but a conviction rooted in personal experience. As he has said before, Hope Florida’s mission — helping individuals break cycles of dependency and regain dignity through economic self-sufficiency — is one he has seen change lives, and one he wants to ensure is not lost in the current turbulence.
