OFM_MenoftheYear_0622FINAL.qxp_DEPT 5 / 20 / 22 12 : 48 PM Page 3 R DR . ANDRE GLEN CASEL EA asel is the president and CEO of Embrace Families , which Y BAPTISTE Cprovides foster care and or years , Baptiste has been known related child services in EOrange , to generations of patients as the Osceola and Seminole counties , and H Ffounder of Baptiste Orthodontics , has been involved in social work for T but lately it’s his alter ego , Andre the more than three decades . But he Farmer , who has found himself in the points to a specific incident 23 years F spotlight . With a large following on ago that confirmed for him that he TikTok and Instagram , he aims to edu - was in the right field and had Ofound cate others about sustainability , eco - his life’s work . As a father to a 2 - friendliness , using resources wisely and year - old daughter at the time , he N working with nature rather than was working in a service center E against it . He has also started a com - when a young mother walked in pany , Permaculture Life , to represent holding the hand of her son and M the movement and offers apparel and simply walked out on him . As a other products made with bamboo coworker chased after the woman , hemp and recycled materials . Baptiste Casel was left to comfort the crying became interested in sustainability child , and the entire time he kept thinking about his daughter . “ I decided that day about six years ago when he planted a that as long as I worked , this is what I would do , and that as long as there was a kid mango tree in his backyard and developed into an avid gardener . “ There’s the obvious like that little boy , I wanted to try to help him and try to make a difference , ” he benefits of creating a world that we can continue to live in , ” he says of his hobby . “ For says . “ At that moment it went from a job to a career and from a paycheck to a pas - me , my selfish motivation is that my philosophy is that to have a fulfilling life you have sion . I guess the rest is history . ” At Embrace Families , Casel has helped establish a to have things to look forward to . I used to really look forward to going on fishing trips , community - based care model and grown the organization into a groundbreaking going on hunting trips , going golfing or playing basketball , but those were things that leader not just across the state but nationally . He is especially proud of integrating a happened periodically . When you garden and grow something in your backyard and specialty Medicaid program with child welfare services so that foster parents can have a variety of plants , every day becomes something you look forward to . ” Baptise is take an active role in the children’s medical care , and of Keys to Independence , a also a longtime supporter of more than 40 schools in Orange County through the Part - program that helps foster kids acquire their driver’s license . The latter has been so ners in Education program , and frequently visits schools to present scholarships . A successful that other states are now following suit . “ In any line of work but certainly native of Canada who has made Central Florida his home for the past two decades , the in foster care , you have to make sure you celebrate those successes because there married father of two teenaged boys was a board member of the Dr . Phillips YMCA for are plenty of hard days , ” Casel says . 10 years and is currently a board member for the Wayne Densch YMCA in Pine Hills . MIKE BRODSKY NICK FALCONE eeping up with all of Brodsky’s charitable work alcone is the founder of NDM Hos - Kand leadership positions at pitality Services , which has local organizations can be a diffi - Fbecome a leader in the dining and cult task , even for him , but he curated vacation resort industries since wouldn’t want it any other way . “ I its inception in 2011 . He and his family know that I’m involved in a lot of have also made significant philan - different things but that’s by thropic contributions in South and design , ” he says . “ I enjoy it and I Central Florida over the years , a lesson like being able to have that kind of he was taught early in life . “ I remem - impact on the local community ber as a kid , my mom took my siblings and the world as a whole , really . ” and I to volunteer at the Children’s One of Brodsky’s main roles is Home Society in South Florida where I chairman of the board for The grew up , ” he says . “ It was my intro - Mustard Seed of Central Florida , a duction to giving back as we helped nonprofit clothing and furniture kids from underprivileged homes and bank that serves local families in abusive environments . It really influ - need . He helps to oversee fundraising events and marketing for the nonprofit , and enced me as I saw so many children in bad situations and I was just naturally eager to finds it rewarding to give beds to kids currently sleeping on the floor or a dining help them . ” Falcone , who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease as a child , is proud to be room table for a family to share meals together . Brodsky , a graduate of Yale Uni - a longtime supporter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America , as well as chari - versity and the MBA program at Duke University , is also the president of the Yale table organizations like In Jacob’s Shoes , Junior Achievement , SOS Children’s Village Alumni Association of Central Florida and the All - Ivy Club of Central Florida . A and the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans . He is also passing down former television news producer , he has been a financial advisor for more than 20 his strong belief in giving back to the next generation , as he and his wife Jaclyn and years but still dips his toes into journalism and has covered sporting events for var - their two children have volunteered multiple times at Give Kids the World . “ There is ious media outlets , including Pro Bowl practices and the week leading up to the nothing better than helping people in your community , ” he says . “ Every time my Super Bowl . Also the author of two books , he has raised two grown children in family or my company can help someone through volunteering and doing our part , it Orlando with his wife . “ I certainly hope that our kids have learned from my brings a smile to our faces . … My dad was an amazing example of this as he has spent example , ” he says . “ I hope I can inspire others to get out there and not only his career supporting various causes and initiatives . I grew up watching the amazing improve themselves but also improve the lives of others and improve the world . ” work he has done . ” 30 ORLANDO FAMILY june 2022 ORLANDOFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM