Welcome to “Ten Questions With”…an ongoing series of posts let us get to know the unique, creative, and energetic folks who drive Miami’s nonprofit sector. In other words…all of us. And stay tuned, because we’re building out a new feature of the PhilanthropyMiami website that will let you upload your own answers to Ten Questions With.

What does our nonprofit community need to be at our best?

For our nonprofit community to be at its best we have to be 100% mission driven. We cannot grow if become transactional. At the risk of sounding like a Pollyanna I genuinely believe that when we focus on “why” we do things versus on “how” we do things we are able to fulfill our shared mission – to serve. 

What is the biggest thing you are working on right now?

The Live Like Bella Pediatric Cancer Research Initiative was established in 2018 and since its inception has funded over $25 million and 45 clinical trials in Florida alone. We are working diligently with organizations across the country on growing this much needed funding on a national level. We will host our 2nd Annual Research Symposium during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September where renowned physicians and scientists come together to share progress and innovation that is changing the lives of children battling cancer as we speak. 

What are you reading?

I am reading a great book called “Untangled” by Lisa Damour, Ph.D. that’s about raising teenage girls. I’m blessed to be the mom of two daughters – Victoria (13) and Grace (9) and anyone raising girls this age would agree – this job doesn’t come with a manual! 

Where is the one place in the world you are dying to go?

The one place in the world I am dying to go is back to Italy. I speak fluent Italian and lived there in Florence in college. I have returned at least a dozen times since and it never, ever gets old.

Who inspires you?

My mom inspires me. She’s the most compassionate, most forgiving and most accepting human on Earth.

If you could invite any five people, dead or alive, to dinner, who would they be?

The five people I wish I could invite to dinner are: Bella, Ben, Kelly, Emily and Faith – just five of the many children that went to heaven too soon after long battles with cancer. They have each impacted my life in so many ways and they are who I wake up and go to work for every day. I would love to hear their stories now that they are free of their illnesses and see their perfect, beautiful smiles.

When you are not working you are…

When I’m not working I’m at yoga at Casa Vinyasa in South Miami – my happy place. I can’t do a handstand for the life of me and I’m not the least bit flexible but it’s the one thing I get to do where I take a deep breath and completely cut out noise – two things I don’t do enough of.

A night on the town is…

A night on the town is at the recently opened Cebada Rooftop in Coral Gables. The food is awesome, the service is great and I am a rooftop bar junkie! Icing on the cake is it’s down the street from our office that was graciously donated to us by Pablo Cejas and is where Live Like Bella® has called home for almost five years.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I’d give my younger self the heads up that not everyone is going to want to see you do well. My parents raised us to believe that we were superstars and cheered us on at every step of the way and I didn’t stop to think that we aren’t going always going to be surrounded by cheerleaders. Investing in relationships with people – both personally and professionally – who celebrate our successes is priceless.

Nicole de Lara Puente is the Chief Executive Officer of the Live Like Bella Childhood Cancer Foundation.