Holly Sedlak
Tell us about you and your business.
I’ve spent over 30 years in the financial industry, but the work that has become most meaningful to me is helping build I AM HEARD Coalition. After being diagnosed with syringomyelia and going through multiple spinal cord surgeries and serious complications, I experienced firsthand how isolating it can be to have a condition few people understand — and how hard patients often have to fight just to find answers and the right care.
That experience gave me a completely different sense of purpose. Through I AM HEARD, we’re working to educate, advocate, connect patients with knowledgeable providers and create real resources for people living with complex neurological and related conditions. I never imagined my own medical journey would lead me here, but turning some of the hardest experiences of my life into something that can help other people has become incredibly important to me.
What is most important to you in life?
Helping others has always been a passion of mine, but after everything I’ve been through, it means something much deeper now. I know what it feels like to be scared, overwhelmed and searching for answers while still trying to hold your life together.
If I can use what I’ve been through to make someone else feel less alone or help make their road a little easier, that means everything to me. I’m trying to turn some of the hardest parts of my life into purpose.
What important information about I AM HEARD would you like Naples to be aware of?
What I want people in Naples to understand is that these conditions can be devastating, even when the person living with them looks completely healthy. Syringomyelia is a rare neurological disorder where a fluid-filled cavity forms inside the spinal cord. As it enlarges, it can damage the cord itself, causing severe nerve pain, weakness, loss of sensation, mobility problems and, in some cases, paralysis. There is no simple fix, and the neurological damage can be permanent. Yet unlike conditions such as MS or ALS, most people have never even heard the word syringomyelia until it affects them or someone they love.
I AM HEARD is not limited to syringomyelia. We also advocate for people living with Chiari malformation, POTS and other forms of dysautonomia, MCAS, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and the complicated overlap between these conditions. They can be disabling, frightening and incredibly difficult to diagnose, yet patients are still too often dismissed or left to navigate them alone. That is why we exist: to make sure these patients are seen, believed and heard.
Lauren Maxwell
Tell us about you and your business.
I started in mortgage banking in 1987, and almost 40 years later, I still genuinely love what I do.
I lead the Maxwell Mortgage Team at CrossCountry Mortgage, and we have built our business around communication, knowledge and taking care of people.
We handle everything from first time homebuyers and down payment assistance to conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, construction, investment properties, foreign nationals and some of the more complicated financing situations.
I have been fortunate to achieve a lot professionally, including being recognized nationally among top mortgage originators, but I am probably most proud of the team and reputation we have built.
Our philosophy is simple: service through communication.
People are trusting us with one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. I never forget that.
And after almost four decades, I am still learning, still growing and still excited about the next family we get to help.
Looking ahead, what legacy do you hope to leave behind?
I have been incredibly blessed with three amazing children, and watching the humans they have become is probably one of the things I am most proud of in my life. They are kind, hardworking, loving and strong, and now I get the incredible gift of watching the next generation grow too. Being “Lala” is one of my greatest joys.
I hope my children and grandchildren remember that I worked hard, loved fiercely, gave generously and showed up for people. I want them to know that success means very little if you don't use it to help someone else.
In my community, I hope my legacy is that I made a difference. That I helped families achieve homeownership, helped people build careers, supported organizations that needed a voice and resources, and hopefully opened some doors for others along the way.
At the end of the day, I hope people say, "Lauren cared, and she showed up." My legacy, “Marvelous Mother and Mortgage Master.”
What advice would you give others to make a difference in their communities or pursue leadership roles?
Show up. You don't need a title to be a leader.
Get involved, listen to people and don't be afraid to raise your hand when something needs to be done. Leadership isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It is about being willing to take responsibility and sometimes doing the work nobody sees.
And don't wait until you think you're completely ready. I have been in business almost 40 years and I am still learning every day.
Most importantly, bring other people with you. If your success only benefits you, I don't think that is really leadership.
Michael Khowaylo
Tell us about you and your business:
I describe myself as a "Veterinary MedTech Entrepreneur." I'm a serial entrepreneur by nature and have spent much of my professional life developing businesses, products and technologies within veterinary medicine.
In 2001, my brother Alex and I founded New Generation Devices, or NGD. We believed veterinary surgeons should have access to innovative, high-quality orthopedic products specifically designed for their patients. Over the next two decades, we built NGD into a respected name in veterinary orthopedics. In 2022, NGD became part of Movora, providing a larger global platform for the products and technologies we had developed.
Entrepreneurship has always been part of who I am. I enjoy identifying opportunities, solving problems, developing ideas and, most importantly, turning those ideas into something real.
Outside business, family is extremely important to me, particularly my two children. Naples has also become an important part of my life. I'm an active member of the Naples Social Club, a founding member of the Society Club of Naples, and enjoy golf at Mediterra, fine dining, good company and everything the Naples lifestyle has to offer.
Looking ahead, what legacy do you hope to leave behind?
For me, legacy isn't simply about what you build or accumulate. It's about the values you pass on and what you leave behind in other people.
My father was a successful entrepreneur and had an enormous influence on my life. From him, I learned the importance of hard work, family, personal responsibility and helping others. Those are the same values I've tried to pass on to my two children.
My family and I share a simple belief: when you're fortunate enough to be in a position to help someone else, you have a moral obligation to do so.
I hope my children carry that principle forward. Be ambitious. Build things. Enjoy success. But never become so focused on your own achievements that you forget the people around you.
If those values continue into the next generation, I would consider that a legacy worth leaving.
Have there been any significant mentors or role models in your life? If so, who and how?
Without question, my father. He was a successful entrepreneur in his own right and had a huge influence on the person I became.
I learned from watching him that entrepreneurship isn't simply about making money. It's about independence, responsibility, taking calculated risks, creating opportunities and being accountable for the decisions you make.
More importantly, he taught me the importance of family and helping others. Those lessons stayed with me throughout my career and influenced the way I've approached business, family and life. I consider myself fortunate that one of my most important role models was also my father.
Patrick Dearborn
Tell us about you and your business.
REALTOR®/Board of Directors John R. Wood Properties.
What is most important to you in life?
God, family and friends.
Looking ahead, what legacy do you hope to leave behind for future generations both within your family and community?
Pray that my actions continue to lead others in our community to give back and serve our community.
What advice would you give others to make a difference in their communities or pursue leadership roles?
Be genuine - be you at all times! If you are going to be in leadership role or run for public office - do it for the RIGHT reasons! Holding public office is not a trumpet call to self importance, it's a trumpet call to serve. As Fire Commissioner for Greater Naples Fire/Rescue, I love serving our firefighters and our community and helping to keep it safe!
How do you define success in your life?
By how much time I have for myself and my family and with my grandkids! Success and wealth to me means time with my family and being healthy. Health is the new wealth!
What motivates you?
You have to love the “haters” and the “ainter’s” in our lives. Haters gonna hate and Ainter’s gonna Ain’t! Just do you and do things for others. Keep being a light in a dark world!
Have there been any significant mentors or role models in your life? If so, who and how?
Thankful for so many! Currently I look up to and learn from men like Gary Brecka, aka the Ultimate Human, and Dan Kowal our county commissioner and my fellow US Army veteran brother. Bob Kiffney is another one I look up to and learn from. All three of these men always do the right things - even when no one is looking! And Lauren Maxwell - she inspires me to be the best I can be. She teaches my so much about business and deals - love her! Blessed to have so many great people in my life. Pastor Alan from First Naples, too. He reminds me daily to let go and let God.