Ben Watson, Founder – Born and raised in Orlando, Ben attended high school at Lake Highland Preparatory School. He is now pursuing vocal performance at the University of Central Florida. Ben enjoys singing, the outdoors, and riding motorcycles with his friends. Having recently marked 7 years in remission, Ben is happy to be working with such dedicated and passionate people to help families affected by pediatric cancer. He is happy to see that his idea as a 14-year-old pediatric cancer patient has grown into a successful foundation.
Hillary Watson, Watson Real Estate & Management – Hillary, born and raised in Orlando, Florida, is proud to call herself a Watson. Hillary attended Westminster College of the Arts at Rider university where she received her B.M. in Musical Theater. Hillary pursued an exciting career in the performing arts for her first few years out of college, performing in theaters around Florida and at Universal Studios Orlando. Growing up in a real estate family, it was only a matter of time before she decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and start a new journey as a Realtor and Real Estate Investor. Hillary still loves the arts and plans to pursue this on the side for her enjoyment. She is an avid traveler and loves meeting new people. Volunteering has always been a big part of Hillary’s life, and she is deeply passionate about the work we are doing to help families with children battling cancer. She will always consider Benji Watson her hero.
Barry Watson, Watson Real Estate & Management – Born and raised in Hancock, Minnesota, Barry moved down to Florida in 1982 to start his own real estate company with his sister, and now has over 30 years of experience in his field. He is a licensed Real Estate Broker, Contractor, and Insurance Agent. Barry has been a huge advocate for low income housing and thus has developed and built hundreds of homes in the Orlando area. Since the day of its conception, Barry has been a huge part of The Benji Watson Cancer Foundation. From helping Ben get the idea off the ground, to getting it to where it is today, Barry is the force behind our success. He could not be more proud of what we have achieved and looks forward to growing the foundation for years to come. Barry loves traveling the world with his family and enjoying his backyard on Lake Ivanhoe.
Becky Watson, Watson Real Estate & Management – While not native to the Orlando area, Becky has spent more than 30 years here and now calls Orlando home. She obtained her master’s degrees in Speech Pathology and Business Administration, and then pursued a rewarding career, first in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and then at Florida Hospital for 15 years. She now works in her family real estate business and enjoys the perks of being self-employed. Becky loves traveling the world, going to the beach, and spending quality time with her family. She is the mother of Hillary and Ben, and thus has a very personal connection to this Foundation. Becky’s hard work and passion for this organization is what enables us to help so many families in need.
Janie Drummond, Community Volunteer – Janie is a native Indiana Hoosier and graduated from Indiana University with a major in Journalism and Musical Theater. Upon graduation, she served as the Manager of Flight Attendant Bases for American Trans Air, traveling the world. She received two Civilian Combat Medals for her service in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In 1993, she moved to Orlando, married her husband Dan, and became an immediately active member of the Orlando community, devoting her time to the Junior League of Central Florida, the Coalition for the Homeless, GoodWill, and more. She was also immensely involved with the Parent Associations at her daughters’ schools, Lake Highland Preparatory School and The Classical School of The First Academy. She has been a Girl Scout Leader for two Citrus Council troops, and helped lead six of her girls to achieve the Girl Scout GOLD Awards. She and her daughters started two charity organizations in Abaco, Bahamas: “Books for Bahamas” and “Pennies for Potcakes.” Janie appreciates anyone who cares enough to recognize the struggle of families who have very sick and hospitalized children, and hopes to bring the Benji Watson Cancer Foundation to the next level of public awareness.
David M. Schreiber, Commercial Airline Pilot (ret.) – David Schreiber, a retired commercial airline pilot and small business owner, joined the Board of Directors in 2017. He feels honored and privileged to work with Ben Watson and his family for the noteworthy cause of helping other families affected by the challenges of childhood cancer.
Chrissy Schreiber, MBA, Global Digital Coordinator, Tupperware Brands – Chrissy Schreiber received her MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in May 2021, where she received the John C. Myers Leadership Award. Chrissy graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Florida with a BA in Music Studies and a BA in Mass Communications. As a vocalist, Chrissy has performed globally, often performing with Ben Watson. Chrissy and Ben are lifelong friends and duet partners, singing their first duet at age 8. She has been volunteering with The Benji Watson Cancer Foundation since its inception, and served on the Junior Board in high school. She joined the Board of Directors in July of 2019, and she looks forward to helping the foundation create its long-term strategy for growth. Chrissy heads up the foundation’s Logistics Committee and manages the company website.
Jon Gibbs, Shareholder; Lowndes, Dropsdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A. –Jon Gibbs is a shareholder and the Chair of the Intellectual Property Services Group at the Lowndes law firm. Jon is active with the Orange County Teen Court and serves as a guardian ad litem for the Orange County Legal Aid Society. Jon is an inaugural member of the Benji Watson Cancer Foundation Board of Directors.
Kelly Johnson, Lake Highland Preparatory School – Having worked at Lake Highland Preparatory School for over 20 years, Kelly has been extremely involved with her students, chaperoning trips and dances, supporting them in arts, sports, events, and extra-curricular activities. She was honored to be a part of Ben’s journey as he fought his cancer battle. Because of her compassion for her students, as well as her passion for those in the Central Florida community who have less, Kelly was asked to be a part of this Board, helping to serve our community and its struggling children and families.
Shanon Larimer, CEO, Larimer & Co. // Branding Studios – Shanon is a seasoned brand strategist who supports globally integrated corporations that are hungry for change, disruptive by nature, and reflect a genuine affinity for society. He has made good use of his passport, working across geographies and cultures to deliver ideas that build identity and drive bottom-line performance for people and brands. As Founder and CEO of Larimer & Co. Branding Studios, Shanon leads an innovative team of international professionals in the development and execution of customized strategic campaigns for both emerging businesses as well as global corporations within the hospitality, entertainment, travel and tourism industries. In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for the Benji Watson Cancer Foundation, Shanon serves on the Board of Directors for the City of Orlando’s Downtown Arts District, the Orange County Regional History Center. He is also on the Board of Trustees for The Neon Museum in Las Vegas. His guiding principles are his two sons, Shawn and Charles.
Dr. Alejandro Levy, Oncologist, Arnold Palmer Medical Center – Alejandro Levy has been a physician with the Haley Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children since 2009. Dr. Levy is board certified in general pediatrics and pediatric hematology/oncology. He completed his fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Center in Houston and his pediatric residency at Miami Children’s Hospital. He earned his medical degree at the Universidad Central Del Caribe in Puerto Rico and his bachelor’s degree at Loyola University New Orleans. He is dedicated to the physical and emotional well-being of children and adolescents who are battling cancer and hematologic diseases.