Our Team
Rob Canton
President & CEO
Serving on the board of JDRF Tampa Bay, and co-chair of its two most successful annual fundraising galas, Rob first developed Athletes+Causes as a way to further bring attention to and raise money towards finding a cure for Juvenile Diabetes. He enlisted the support of others in the sports industry affected by Type 1 Diabetes, including Tampa Bay Lightning Forward BJ Crombeen, Rays Outfielder Sam Fuld, and Buccaneers Tight End Tom Crabtree and in January 2014 hosted the first Athletes+Causes event in the Chase Club of Amalie Arena. Sponsors and individuals took advantage of the opportunity to mix and mingle not only with the three professional sports hosts, but with the dozens of fellow Lightning, Rays, and Bucs players that showed up to support their teammates.
Having spent 25-years conducting strategic and economic analyses within the sports industry, Rob has worked with hundreds of teams, destinations, and developers representing a multitude of initiatives including development, transactions, performance improvement, project feasibility, and strategic planning.
Rob previously served as Executive Vice President of Finance and Strategic Planning for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Prior to his work for the Lightning, he consulted on projects across the country involving the New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Denver Broncos, Miami Heat, San Diego Padres, Oakland Raiders, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, Washington Nationals, and dozens of other professional sports teams. He has also consulted on sports projects for Louisiana State University, the University of Oklahoma, Duke University, University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, Texas Tech, The Ohio State University, University of Pittsburgh, and University of Louisville.
Senior Vice President of Strategy
Christopher Haran, our Senior Vice President of Strategy, graduated Cum Laude from the University of Tampa where he received the Spartan Leadership Award. At this university, he found his passion for leadership and organizational development and honed his skill set in the non-profit sector.
He has 8+ combined years of Non-Profit Leadership experience. He was the Director of Development for a family foundation, he aided in creating the foundation ‘Sal’s Soldiers’, and has helped spearhead the creation of some of our most successful foundations, including The Lance McCullers Jr. foundation and The Team Godwin Foundation. Through these foundations, Chris has helped work to facilitate transports and save animals in a variety of strategic way. Chris prides himself on his interpersonal communication skills and focusses his energy on building lasting relationships with anyone he crosses paths with.
He’s helped to raise awareness and funds for dozens of non-profits around the country, including The Johnny Damon Foundation, Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches, The HelpCureHD Foundation, The Florida Aquarium, Zoo Tampa, and many more. Because his passions lie in leadership, not management, Athletes and Causes was instantly attractive to him; the ability to guide athletes in finding the causes that matter to them most, and making their goals come to life was an obvious career path.
In 2015 he completed the White Coat Intern Program with Tampa General Hospital creating a deeper relationship with TGH and acting as an ambassador for the award-winning hospital. He has forged many other meaningful relationships in Tampa Bay and across the country, and is a true asset to all of our clients.
Christopher Haran
Account Manager
Lucas Barisano grew up in the coastal community of Scituate Massachusetts. Throughout his participation in youth and high school sports, Lucas distinguished himself as a leader, playing starting roles on the Football and Lacrosse teams of Scituate High School. Lucas continues to enjoy golfing, skating and snowboarding with a particular love for the game of golf.
Lucas understands the profound impact that sports and its athletes can have on individuals and communities as a whole. With a lifetime love for sports, and a genuine passion for helping others, he found the perfect home with Athletes and Causes.
Lucas graduated from the University of Tampa in 2016 with a degree in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Sociology. After graduating, Lucas returned home for 3 years where he worked as a Paralegal at a Law firm in the Financial District and as an Account Manager with a national recruiting agency in the Back Bay of Boston. Lucas now makes his home in Tampa where he is working to complete his MBA from his Alma Mater’s Sykes College of Business.
Leveraging his continuing education, work experience, love of sports and passion for helping others, Lucas is dedicated to working with Athletes and Causes as they build on their amazing history of helping both people and animals alike.
Lucas Barisano
Jenna Hōgg
Director of Marketing & Fundraising, HelpCureHD
Jenna Hōgg was born in Tampa, FL, and has worked with A+C Foundation and the HelpCureHD Foundation since 2019 as a Marketing and Development Coordinator.
Jenna graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2011 with a BA in Intercultural and Organizational Communication, Social Science, and Biological Anthropology with a concentration in Primatology. While studying orangutans' capacity for cognitive development for six years, she also gained experience working with lesser apes, monkeys, and lemurs. In 2019, furthering her passion for primates and the illegal wildlife trade, she became the lead primatologist of Peace Love Primates. Jenna also worked in veterinary medicine as a Medical Technician Assistant to further her knowledge of Animal Medicine and animal rehabilitation.
Jenna's experience extends beyond conservation, encompassing a range of charitable causes, from equine & canine rescue initiatives to helping families with rare diseases.
Nicki Sims
Director of Grants and Clinic Relations, HelpCureHD
Nicki Sims is a Florida native that was raised in a family where philanthropy, advocacy and sharing her passions to benefit others became second nature. Those same qualities, along with her families involvement and love of sports contributed to the fabric of who she is today.
Nicki attended Tampa Catholic High School and continued her education locally at the University of Tampa and the University of Notre Dame for Non-Profit Leadership and Management.
With over 15 years experience in Healthcare and Administration and over 5 years Fundraising and Non-Profit, Nicki prides herself on cultivated lasting relationships within the community.
Nicki has a passion for advocacy, real estate and loves taking on a renovation project. She continues to reside in the Tampa Bay area with her husband and 4 children and feels blessed to work with passion and purpose everyday through The A+C Foundation and HelpCureHD.
Arian May
Director of Development, HelpCureHD
Arian is first and foremost mom to two gorgeous girls (and future world-changers). Arian formerly served Director of Advancement, fundraising for 15+ years for Ohio’s leading behavioral and mental health agency. She is humbled and honored to now serve as Director of Development for HelpCureHD.
One of her favorite phrases is “every dollar is a life-changer” and she is privileged to join Allie, Joe, our HelpCureHD team, our donors, advocates, supporters and YOU to change the world, eradicating Huntington’s Disease one healthy baby at a time!
Public Relations and Media Manager
Born and raised in Tampa, Florida, Olivia works behind the scenes to create content for the Team Godwin Foundation and the Lance McCullers Jr. Foundation among others.
She graduated from the University of Tampa in 2021 with her Bachelors in Advertising and Public Relations and went on to graduate with a Master of Arts in Social and Emerging Media. With more than four years of experience managing social media channels for clients ranging from local farmers markets to the Tampa International Airport, Olivia discovered her passion for making an impact and connecting people online. That passion led her to A+C in July of 2022 where she has been able to explore creativity, analytics, and media relations within the nonprofit sector.
Olivia Cadrecha, M.A.
Client Relationship Manager
A 2021 Florida State University economics graduate, Avery Welz has had a passion for nonprofit fundraising since joining her sorority. Serving as an active member in her chapter to raise funds for breast cancer education and awareness helped her discover her passion for helping others.
Originally from Belleair, Florida, she also has a passion for marketing and social media through multiple internships held before graduating. In conjunction with the A+C team, Avery works to ensure all of our clients receive the best service and continues working to establish and build relationships.
Avery Welz
Lori Ginsburg
Lori Ginsburg is a Director of Community Engagement at Athlete’s and Causes.org with 25 years of experience helping charitable and community organizations to build successful community programs. Specializing in fundraising, Lori uses that experience to build strong community partnerships and raise the much-needed funding to support those efforts.
By focusing on relationship building tactics, Lori has been able to put the degree she earned in Psychology and Liberal Arts at the University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX to good use. Over the years, her strengths have garnered some recognition by The Association for Fundraising Professionals and Major League Soccer (MLS). Lori is passionate about fostering and nurturing relationships with donors and partners through having personal conversations about what is important to them. She is also a leader in making connections between contacts, associates, and collaborators.
Lori and is an avid Houston Astros, Texans, Dynamo and Rockets fans.
Director of Community Engagement