The CONSUELO Foundation is a family-driven initiative inspired by the life and legacy of Consuelo Valencia de Gumá, a woman whose life was a testament to compassion, courage, and service. Rooted in the values she embodied—faith, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to those in need—we aim to continue her mission of uplifting the human spirit and reducing suffering wherever it exists.
Our family believes in the transformative power of generosity. We’ve provided sanctuary to refugees, delivered Christmas gifts to orphans, taught swimming to the mentally handicapped, and funded construction projects in the Caribbean, honoring Consuelo’s legacy.
The Consuelo Foundation operates with the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and integrity. As a family, we are deeply committed to ensuring that every donation has the maximum impact on the communities we serve. To achieve this, we cover 100% of the foundation’s administrative costs and event expenses, allowing 100% of donations to go directly toward initiatives that bring comfort and joy to those in need.
The foundation undergoes an annual financial audit conducted by the respected accounting firm Smith, Buzzi, and Associates to ensure proper stewardship of all funds. In the spirit of transparency, financial statements are made available to donors and stakeholders upon request.
Our approach reflects our commitment to honoring the legacy of Consuelo Valencia de Gumá by ensuring that every resource is directed toward reducing the misery index and improving lives.
Meet the Team
Katalina Guma, President
Katalina is a senior at Duke University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and minor in French. She has experience fundraising and volunteering for various causes including cancer research, legal clinics, disaster relief, mission trips, programs supporting children with disabilities, tutoring low-income students, and construction projects in the Caribbean. Two-time President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award recipient, nationally recognized for her commitment to serving others. Inspired by the legacy of her grandmother, Consuelo “Mamama” Guma, Katalina is eager to channel her passion for service into meaningful action through the Consuelo Foundation.
Andrea Diaz-Guma, Vice President of Causes
Andrea graduated from Rollins College with a BS in Computer Science in 2023. As the former President of the Best Buddies chapter at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, she successfully raised funds, led meetings, recruited members, and established volunteer partnerships. Andrea, along with her mother, Marie Guma, initiated the “Bags of Love” tradition within their family. Together, they invite others to fill bags with food and necessities for the homeless and distribute them throughout South Florida during the holiday season. Andrea is dedicated to expanding the organization and ensuring it makes a positive impact in communities worldwide.
Sienna Aguiar, Vice President of Fundraising
2024 graduate of FAU Wilkes Honors College with a BS in Marine Sciences. Sienna completed her masters in Marine Mammals at University of Miami Rosenstiel School. She has extensive volunteer experience, including community shark science, teaching marine science to young girls in Ecuador, mentoring college students in higher-level research, coaching children in sports, and supporting underprivileged schools. Sienna is also passionate about giving back to science and the environment, organizing hands-on activities like raising and collecting gifts for hospitalized children, and fostering community engagement through outreach and education.
Board of Directors
Virgilio Guma Sr., Chairman of the Board
Consuelo’s husband of 65 years and retired senior oil company executive.
Virgilio Guma Jr., Director
Marie Oligriv Guma-Diaz, Director
Marie Geraldine “Gerri” Guma, Director
Marie Geraldine Gumá, affectionately known in our family as Gerri, is a dedicated mental health professional and educator with a deep commitment to serving her community and fostering mental health awareness. She completed her master’s and doctoral coursework in Clinical Psychology at Carlos Albizu University and will graduate in 2026 with a Doctorate in Education specializing in Higher Education and Leadership from Mercy Gwynedd University.
Gerri’s extensive professional and volunteer work highlights her unwavering dedication to mental health advocacy and community service. In 2011 and 2012, she served as the mental health professional lead during medical missions for Mindo Futures, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the youth and people of Mindo, Ecuador, and other communities worldwide through education, health, and disaster relief initiatives, in an effort to end, poverty and provide humanitarian and medical aid to those in need.
From 2005 to 2018, Gerri acted as a mental health educator and resource for the Key Siders, a volunteer group founded by the Key Biscayne Fire Chief to educate children and adolescents about the dangers of drug and alcohol use. She also served as a clinical resource for fire and police departments across South Florida from 2015 to 2023.
Gerri’s dedication was particularly evident during her tenure with the Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Rescue’s Clinician Response Team from 2017 to 2020, where she provided mental health support to first responders following the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Her contributions extended during this same tenure to the Florida Firefighter Safety and Health Collaborative, a non-profit aimed at improving firefighter safety and health through education, training, and the dissemination of best practices,where she was a vital part of the clinical management team responsible for clinician awareness training.
In addition to her volunteer work, Gerri is the founder of Command Counseling Center,a company that contracts with government entities to manage and implement mental health programs for fire and police departments. Through this initiative, she continues to champion the mental health and well-being of first responders, ensuring they receive the care and resources they need.
The Consuelo Foundation 