Board of Directors
Melissa L Hart
Founder & Board President
Tom Hart and I were happily married for more than 27 years. We shared our two amazing sons, Alex and Austin, and a passion to someday form a nonprofit designed to help others in Arizona. Little did I know that Tom’s death on August 12, 2021, would solidify our nonprofit’s mission.
As you learn more about our story, you’ll see why it’s clear to Alex, Austin, and me – that helping children and young adults process grief and heal is a natural fit for our KMFF mission. Those close to us saw our suffering after we lost Tom – the trials and valleys we moved through to heal and effectively move forward. We embraced counseling and targeted therapies to help us process Tom’s transition.
So many children and young adults are suffering with parental loss and don’t have the adequate support or resources to ensure healing and a meaningful recovery. In addition, the surviving parent is often overwhelmed with added responsibilities and just can’t provide the proper support and services for their grieving children. It’s my hope that through KMFF we’ll serve this need in our local community.
My educational and professional work experiences rest in the areas of human resources and organization development. I’ve led global human resources (HR) teams in numerous corporate roles, and I’ve always had a passion for coaching and developing others to achieve their fullest potential. For the past 12 years, I’ve owned and operated my own HR and leadership development consultancy, www.thehumanvantage.com. I’ve also had the honor of working with both profit and non-profit organizations – sharing my considerable experience in strategic planning, team and leadership development, organization effectiveness, and change management. I’m excited to use my skills and broad experiences to lead KMFF.
I’m honored to serve in various nonprofit organizations across Arizona, specifically the Summit School of Ahwatukee and the East Valley Women’s League (EVWL), where I assist with the foster child program and the scholarship team. I’ve also led parent volunteers to support and grow cross country, ice hockey and lacrosse leagues in our community.
I’m a “creative” at heart – there’s always a new project or venture in play. I’ve authored a book for toddlers, Max & the Diaper Fairy, based on a true story of fun potty-training experiences (www.maxandthediaperfairy.com). In 2018, I partnered with Andrew Rafal of Bayntree Wealth Advisors (www.bayntree.com) to publish, The Heartful Retirement: Your Journey to What Matters Most. I also serve as a certified Retirement Coach and help others plan and navigate through life transitions (www.thehartofchange.com).
I enjoy traveling, exploring new places, and scuba diving. I’m also an advocate for wellness lifestyles, including physical fitness and healthy holistic eating. As a certified holistic nutritionist, I promote the healing power of foods, supplements, exercise, and meditation. These elements have helped me heal and move forward.
I hope you find our site helpful. Please share your unique journey with us. KMFF has an amazing future – our team will achieve exceptional results and have a huge impact in our community. We invite and welcome you to be a part of this future – through your donations, corporate sponsorships, alliances/partnerships, and volunteerism. KEEP MOVING FORWARD!
Alexander Hart
Board Treasurer
I’m the first-born son of Melissa and Tom Hart, and it’s an honor to be a founding member of KMFF. I never thought I’d lose my Dad at his young age of 53. I mean – he was a healthy, active guy completing Iron Man competitions.
Our Dad was amazing for so many reasons. He was an incredible role model, hard worker, and provider for our family. I’ll always have fond memories of the ways he supported my academic and sports activities – especially my cross country days in high school and college. He was always there for us, and despite a demanding work schedule, he found time to be present and involved with our activities and life events.
I graduated from Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, AZ , and the University of Arizona’s Eller School of Business, in Tucson, AZ, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. I’m very analytical and enjoy reviewing data so I can make recommendations for investing and growth agendas.
I’m excited to bring my technical skills and finance background to KMFF as our Board Treasurer. I’m committed to doing my part to achieve our financial and fundraising goals. Our financial goals will help us establish a successful foundation and ensure KMFF can offer resources and services for many years. I believe in the vision of this organization. And with our amazing team, I’m confident we’ll accomplish many great things for grieving children and young adults in Arizona.
I enjoy running and exercising; I work at maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle. I believe this focus has helped me remain vibrant and strong throughout my grief journey. A focus on wellness will be a critical feature of KMFF’s services and education.
My incredible group of friends helped me immensely through the dark periods of my grief, and I’m forever grateful to them… and their on-going support.
I look forward to connecting with you and sharing more about KMFF’s bright future.
Austin Hart
Board Vice President of Fundraising
As the second son of Melissa and Tom Hart, I’ve had the privilege of having the best big brother a guy could ask for. Alex and I have shared a lot together over the last 21 years. Both he and my mom have helped me heal and personally move forward while processing the loss and grief of our awesome Dad.
It’s hard to put into words how I felt when our Dad died. I can’t really describe the trauma I experienced. You never think something like losing a parent will happen to you, especially at age 19. Like many of my peers, I assumed and took for granted the notion that my parents would live forever. I expected them both to be here for all my life events – like graduations, marriage, and even children one day.
Even though my Dad won’t be here for those things, I’m very thankful for the time I had with him. He was always actively involved in my school and sports activities. When I told my parents I wanted to be a goalie in ice hockey, they supported me; and my Dad was my loudest cheerleader.
My parents taught me so many valuable things in life – such as hard work and helping others. But it was my Dad who emphasized the importance of my faith in God, and the strength and determination to persevere in life – no matter what curve balls come our way.
I’m grateful that my Dad was such a positive role model. I’m also incredibly appreciative of my mom who recognized I needed the proper support and counseling to process the loss and grief. Through targeted support efforts, I learned a lot about myself, and was able to heal with the help of incredible therapists. There is no shame in seeking help and counseling. I encourage anyone facing emotional hardship or difficulty – to reach out and ask for help. You’ll be glad you did.
Like my brother Alex, I graduated from Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, AZ. I’m currently in my final year at University of Arizona, Department of Mathematics, pursuing my Bachelor of Science degree in Data Science and Statistics, with a minor in Computer Science. I’m very interested in predictive sports betting and creating statistical and programming models to predict performance.
I’m an active member of Theta Xi Fraternity. I’ve served as the group’s Treasurer and I’m active in fundraising and philanthropic activities. Through our brotherhood, I met other young men who lost a parent. It was clear that we all needed help. During the college years, it’s easy to turn to unhealthy addictions to help numb the negative feelings.
As I lead the KMFF fundraising efforts, I’m committed to ensuring we focus our programs to best serve our community. I want to partner with Arizona universities and colleges, along with the Greek System to help KMFF become a resource and approved philanthropy for campus fraternities and sororities.
When I think of fundraising, one of the first things I ask is, what did my Dad like to do? I know he loved running – he even completed three Iron Man races. So, I’m pretty sure we’ll host a 5K Race/Walk in the future.
I hope you join our community. Please help us by becoming a sponsor or a volunteer for one or more fundraising events. It’ll be a lot of fun and very meaningful. While we serve those suffering a parental loss, we’ll work to keep my Dad’s legacy very much alive.
I enjoy running, hitting the gym, playing poker, and creating predictive models. I have a great group of friends who helped me soar over the past year, and I am super grateful for them.
I look forward to connecting with you and sharing more about KMFF’s fundraising efforts. Please stay tuned and check for updates on our website. We’ll need your support and we welcome your ideas.
Maryann Iannitti
Board Secretary
I met Melissa and Tom Hart many years ago when our sons were in preschool together. Through the years, both families have weathered many of life’s challenges and we always came together to support each other.
The Hart family and Iannitti family share a love for Pine, Arizona. While hiking, we even discussed a dream of retiring there. It’s my honor to serve on the Board of Directors for the Keep Moving Forward Foundation (KMFF) and keep the memory of Tom Hart alive – while assisting youth who’ve lost a parent far too early.
Grieving the death of a parent at any age can be difficult. As a child, teenager, or young adult, it’s even more difficult. Everyone needs support and someone they can look to. My goal and hope for KMFF is for us to provide access to resources for “Health, Recovery, & Counseling” for our youth and young adults. This can include resources, tools, and funding for recovery and counseling.
By doing this, we acknowledge the difficult journeys Tom and Melissa experienced as teens when they each lost a parent – and we support Alex and Austin Hart as they navigate life without their beloved father, Tom. Using KMFF to give back seems very fitting.
As a senior director of marketing, new programs, and acquisitions for more than 20 years at Intel Corporation, my focus was building international teams that performed at the highest level. I plan to offer organization, communication, fundraising expertise, and a desire to make things happen at KMFF.
My nonprofit experience includes serving on the Boards for East Valley Women’s League, Brophy College Preparatory and Summit School of Ahwatukee. I have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for education, scholarships and programs that support women and children.
I’m a park ambassador and park ranger at the Tonto Natural Bridge. My husband Mike, and I, were inspired by Tom Hart (with his love of the outdoors and his giving spirit) to become members of the Tonto Rim Search & Rescue Squad (TRSAR). Tom often spoke of joining TRSAR before his passing, so we joined the organization in Tom’s honor.
I love to travel and spend time with our two sons.
Anya Greany
Board Member-at-Large and Working Member
My name is Anya Greany and I am a therapist living and working in Tempe, Arizona. I received my BA in Psychology at Northern Arizona University and my Masters in Clinical Social Work at Arizona State University. I am a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) working in a small group private practice called Centered Wellness. We serve clients across the state of Arizona experiencing a wide variety of diagnoses and other challenges through a virtual platform. I have experience working in the community mental health setting, hospital setting, school settings and within the collaborative care model. I have specialized training in Emotion Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Solutions Focused Brief Therapy.
I look forward to joining the team at the Keep Moving Forward Foundation as I have closely known the Hart family for the past decade and am passionate about supporting families and individuals through each unique grief experience. I hope to offer connections to the counseling community of Arizona and a clinical perspective as the foundation continues to grow.
Hans Laudon
Board Member-at-Large and Working Member
I had the privilege of working with Tom Hart at Honeywell Aerospace for over 15 years. While Tom was an amazingly talented, dedicated and successful leader, he is most remembered for how he touched other people for the better…for his caring, for his integrity, for his humor, for his support, for his positive energy. The stunning tragedy of Tom’s loss serves as a reminder of how fragile life is but also how it impacts the family survivors that must find a way to go on and move forward. That is why I am so inspired by the Hart family and the KMFF foundation who are converting their survivor experiences to help affected and vulnerable youth. The KMFF foundation addresses the very real needs for more and better support for youth and families when the unexpected death of a parent strikes. I am committed to serving this important mission on the KMFF team and to honor the legacy of Tom in the process.
I bring a 30-year career managing complex businesses, leading teams and coaching/developing people with a focus on making the world better, most recently as a VP/GM at Honeywell. The same process of developing a mission strategy and goals and then engaging in the plan for implementation and improvement applies to this important service work of the foundation. As a family father whose proudest accomplishments with my wife Penny are our two grown sons, I look to draw on those life learnings to help other families in need. As part of other non-profit, volunteer community activity, I also serve as president and race director for the ‘Tukee Trot 5K’ and kids fun run that has evolved into a local Thanksgiving weekend tradition and charity fund-raiser.
In my free time I enjoy spending time (outdoors) with family, travel, home projects, reading (mainly history) and all kinds of active fitness and endurance sports, such as running, biking, swimming as a daily rhythm.