Board

BTF Board at our 2023 Bull & Shrimp Roast

Pictured left to right

Rich Blood, Zach Long, Katie Nuce, Candi Tolson, Jon Tolson, Pam Long, Geri Riley, Stew Riley, Lisa Tolson & Beth Tolson

All of our members bring a piece of Brandon in some way to the foundation. They all have our deepest trust and graciousness and they believe in our mission. Further down the road we hope to pass the foundation down to our younger generation of fellow Brandon lovers and friends.

We believe that we all share the important component of helping others out of a deep love for us and for Brandon.

Executive Team

Candi Tolson

CEO / Co-Founder

Candi Tolson is a co-founder of The Brandon Tolson Foundation (BTF) alongside her husband, Jon Tolson. She is Brandon’s mom and serves as CEO of the foundation. When this foundation was started in 2017, she began looking for ways to keep Brandon’s memory and legacy alive through helping other bereaved parents. Brandon’s mantra of “Don’t Waste Your Life” became a driving force in finding a way to transform her own grief into a mission of healing and hope for others on the same path.

She and Jon raised their two sons, Brandon and Collin in the Forest Hill, MD area. Candi has been a night shift nurse for 30 years. Her passion to help others has evolved since the loss of Brandon from a nurse at the bedside to walking side by side with our families. Our BTF families are where she finds her passion and purpose.

She loves music, mind/body fitness and Amazon. She strongly believes in choosing joy even in the dark hours of life. Her words to live by are “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”.

photo credit – October Sky Photography

Pam Long

Executive Director

Pam is an original board member and was invited by Candi & Jon because of their bond through their son’s friendship. Her position has morphed over time, serving as our Treasurer and now as our Executive Director. She brings her previous board experiences and her way with checks, balances, finances and is our master of all things needing to get done. She is our backbone.

Pam and her husband, Michael, are longtime residents of Forest Hill, MD where they raised their two children Zach & Rachel. They are very proud that Zach is a part of the BTF Board as it’s Treasurer. In her day job, she is the Director of Business Development for Landmark Management Group, LLC/CreditAssociates, a consumer focused debt settlement company, and is thankful this role provides her the flexibility to serve BTF. She is fiercely dedicated to her family & friends, loves the beach, is an avid reader and strongly believes we should all make a difference in someone’s life, every day.

Board of Directors

Jonathan Tolson

President / Co-Founder

Jon Tolson is a co-founder of the Brandon Tolson Foundation (BTF) with his wife, Candi Tolson. Jon is first & foremost Brandon’s Dad and secondly the assistant to his wife and our CEO, Candi. His gift is his constant vision of what BTF looks like in 5 years.

photo credit – October Sky Photography

Beth Tolson

Secretary

Beth is our Secretary and our sister-in-law. She was invited to be on the board as an original member knowing she was capable of the organization and administrative skills but also because of her sincerity in helping Jon and I heal and remember Brandon through good deeds and giving to others.

Beth and her husband Shelby, one of Jon’s brothers, are residents of Bel Air. They have two children: daughter Kara and her husband Jordan live in Salisbury, MD; their son Jeff and his wife Tori live in Harleysville, PA, along with their two sons. Beth is a paralegal with the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office. She has spent 25 years working for local government in various administrative positions. She also is a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, where she is the Church Clerk/Treasurer. Faith and family are very important in her life. She loves spending time with family, especially her grandsons!

Zach Long

Treasurer

Zach started as ourTreasurer 2022. Being close with the Tolson family from a young age and one of Brandon’s best friends, he is honored to enhance his friends legacy and provide support to the families BTF helps. Being a CPA and with his background in accounting, including previously auditing non-profits, makes for a good fit in handling BTF’s financials.

Zach has worked for the Baltimore Orioles as their Senior Accountant over the last 3 years and enjoys the unique accounting that job entails. Sports were always a bond Zach & Brandon shared and if you did not find them watching a soccer game or playing ping pong you could find them long boarding to get a Little Cesear’s pizza to take home and play Texas Hold ‘Em.

Zach met the Tolson family when he and Brandon played travel soccer at a young age but his relationship with the whole family grew as they got older and Jon and Candi would take Brandon, Collin & Zach to Youth Group every Wednesday night. There are so many memories to share but Zach believes with the Tolson family the best is still yet to come.

Board Members

Geri Riley

Geri was imperative to being on our board due to our mutual friendship coupled with her son being one of Brandon’s best friends. She fills Candi & Jon’s need to have folks who are truly vested in keeping Brandon’s Legacy alive and also true friends who actively make sure they continue healing. Geri is multifaceted in what she brings, how she volunteers and how she gently brings the necessary devil’s advocate to the table.

Katie Nuce

Katie is also one of our original board members chosen for her special connection with Brandon and our family. She brings phenomenal skill in graphic design as she creates all of our necessary logos and and is now partnering with our social media person.

Lisa Tolson

Lisa Tolson is an original board member and was invited by Candi & Jon not only to represent the Tolson family but also because of her knowledge and experience in human resources.

Lisa resides in Phoenix, MD with her husband Patrick. They have two children: Paige & Chad and two grandchildren Maddie & Ansel. Lisa has worked full-time for the Baltimore Orioles for 39 years and is currently the SVP, Chief People Officer for the club. She loves traveling and spending time with her family.

Rich Blood

Rich was recently added to our board. He is one of our bereaved parents and so, he represents all of our grieving parents. He brings loyalty, friendship and innovation to our foundation.

Michael Hoy

Michael Hoy is the CEO of Great Day Improvements, with a proven track record of driving growth and fostering a thriving organizational culture. As the Chief Executive Officer of Great Day Improvements, Michael has spearheaded the company’s expansion and success since assuming the role in 2015, growing to over 288 locations nationwide

Michael is a native Baltimorean. He currently splits his time in Maryland and Florida with his wife Tracey. They have two beautiful adult daughters, Brittany (25) and Megan (23).

Joining the board of the Brandon Tolson Foundation is an opportunity to drive meaningful engagement, share my expertise, and help shape a mission that improves lives for people, in what is the most difficult time in their lives. — Michael Hoy

Heather Matricciani

Heather first met Candi in 2018, just 24 hours after the tragic loss of her 19-year-old son, Joel, in a car accident. Seeing Candi’s resilience gave her hope that she could find a way forward while navigating this horrific journey and creating a new normal.

Heather is a Senior GovCon Recruiter at a small local recruiting firm and is currently pursuing certification as a Life Coach. She is motivated by a passion for personal and professional growth and thrives on taking on challenging work.

Heather was born and raised in Baltimore County and now lives in Bel Air, Maryland, with her husband, Andy. Together, they are proud parents of three adult sons and grandparents to a 5-year-old grandson, with a granddaughter due in January. Their eldest son, Jeremy, lives in Abingdon, Maryland, with his wife, Nancy, their son, Jacob, and their daughter, Lily Rose, who is due in January. Their middle son, Joel, tragically passed away in a car accident on October 17, 2018. Their youngest son, Drew, resides in Havre de Grace, Maryland.

She and her husband enjoy the camping lifestyle, often hammock camping in state forests across Maryland and Virginia with their two dogs, Baxter and Maximus. Heather loves to read and describes her happy place as sitting by a campfire with a good book.

My desire to serve on the board stems from my deep commitment to offering other grieving parents what Candi and the foundation have given me: a sense of belonging, validation, hope, and an unspoken connection. — Heather Matricciani