BelieveNBooks names board of directors for 2024

BelieveNBooks, an Estero-based nonprofit that provides books to underprivileged children in Southwest Florida, has announced its board of directors for 2024.

The four-member board includes Chairwoman Aditi Maheshwari, Cynthia Lammert, Dawn Montecalvo and Nicole Mihelich working to fulfill the vision of BelieveNBooks Founder Natasha Agarwal. The organization partners with corporations, schools and individuals to provide children from birth through high school with books to expand their horizons and enhance their understanding of the world.

Maheshwari owns Infinite LLC Commercial Real Estate and serves on the board of trustees for Canterbury School, Penn Alumni Club of Southwest Florida and India Association of Fort Myers. She was an associate director at Ernst & Young and has continued with the firm in a consulting capacity. Maheshwari earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in organizational psychology from Columbia University’s Teachers College.

Lammert, a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), is vice president and banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank’s Naples office. She held a variety of senior leadership roles at Fifth Third Private Bank and PNC, including wealth management adviser, senior relationship strategist and vice president. Lammert earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies from PennWest Clarion and an executive certificate in financial planning from Duquesne University.

Montecalvo is president and CEO of Guadalupe Center, an education-focused nonprofit in Immokalee. She also has been a nonprofit consultant for Montecalvo & Associates, executive director of Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF) and marketing director for German Motor Company. Montecalvo earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in film and video production from American University.

Mihelich is a relationship banker with FineMark National Bank & Trust. She has served as business development officer for First Florida Integrity Bank, sales and service manager for Encore Bank, and vice president and branch manager for Encore Bank. Mihelich also was director of admissions for Royal Palm Academy. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and political science, and a master’s degree in secondary education, curriculum and instruction, from Virginia Tech University.

About BelieveNBooks
BelieveNBooks was founded in 2021 by Natasha Agarwal, who at the time was a 14-year-old eighth grader inspired to create a mechanism that could provide underprivileged children with reading materials during the pandemic. Today, BelieveNBooks is a registered 501 (c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to provide children with books to expand their horizons and enhance their understanding of the world. The organization relies on corporate and individual donors, as well as more than two dozen community partners who facilitate book distributions. For more information, please call 239-295-8302 or visit BelieveNBooks.org.