Nicole de Lara Puente is the Chief Executive Officer of the Live Like Bella Childhood Cancer Foundation headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida. The foundation is an internationally recognized leader in childhood cancer research and advocacy and provides financial and emotional support to families whose children are battling cancer across the United States and in 37 countries.
Under her leadership, Live Like Bella spearheaded a groundbreaking initiative with State of Florida to become the first in the nation to allocate funds specifically for childhood cancer research. Since its inception, the Live Like Bella Pediatric Cancer Research Initiative has allocated over $37 million dollars and funded 66 multi-center clinical trials and innovative discovery science at ten renowned institutions across the state of Florida.
In 2023, Nicole was appointed by the Governor of Florida to serve as a member of the Biomedical Research Advisory Council (BRAC) that is responsible for developing criteria and standards for the award of statewide research grants. The board advises the State Surgeon General as to the direction and scope of research studies – among them the Live Like Bella Pediatric Cancer Research Initiative. She is also a member of the Cancer Center of Excellence (CCE) Joint Committee bringing together the Florida Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council (CCRAB) and Biomedical Research Advisory Council (BRAC) to recognize healthcare providers that exceed service standards and excel in providing quality, comprehensive and patient-coordinated care. These prestigious appointments are a testament to her leadership, expertise and dedication.
Prior to joining Live Like Bella in 2017, Nicole was Director of Development at Baptist Health South Florida and Miami Cancer Institute – an alliance with Memorial Sloan Kettering. There, she was responsible for the development and implementation of operational and strategic plans for the Baptist Children's Hospital Foundation.
Before entering into the non-profit healthcare arena, Nicole spent over ten years in global marketing and communications in the television industry throughout Europe and Latin America. She held an array of leadership roles at international media outlets including Columbia Tristar, Sony Pictures, E! Entertainment, MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon.
She also served as Press Secretary for the Florida House of Representatives and Communications Director for the Florida Department of State.
Nicole was a member of Florida Governor DeSantis Transition Advisory Committee on Health & Wellness Policy and is a member of Florida International University’s prestigious “Alumni Hall of Fame” at the School of Communications and Journalism. In 2023 she was named “Businesswoman of the Year” by the Coral Gables Chamber.
She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Florida International University and a certificate in International Business from Scuola Lorenzo de’ Medici in Florence, Italy.
She and her husband Justin reside in South Miami, FL with their two young daughters Victoria and Grace.
Under her leadership, Live Like Bella spearheaded a groundbreaking initiative with State of Florida to become the first in the nation to allocate funds specifically for childhood cancer research. Since its inception, the Live Like Bella Pediatric Cancer Research Initiative has allocated over $37 million dollars and funded 66 multi-center clinical trials and innovative discovery science at ten renowned institutions across the state of Florida.
In 2023, Nicole was appointed by the Governor of Florida to serve as a member of the Biomedical Research Advisory Council (BRAC) that is responsible for developing criteria and standards for the award of statewide research grants. The board advises the State Surgeon General as to the direction and scope of research studies – among them the Live Like Bella Pediatric Cancer Research Initiative. She is also a member of the Cancer Center of Excellence (CCE) Joint Committee bringing together the Florida Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council (CCRAB) and Biomedical Research Advisory Council (BRAC) to recognize healthcare providers that exceed service standards and excel in providing quality, comprehensive and patient-coordinated care. These prestigious appointments are a testament to her leadership, expertise and dedication.
Prior to joining Live Like Bella in 2017, Nicole was Director of Development at Baptist Health South Florida and Miami Cancer Institute – an alliance with Memorial Sloan Kettering. There, she was responsible for the development and implementation of operational and strategic plans for the Baptist Children's Hospital Foundation.
Before entering into the non-profit healthcare arena, Nicole spent over ten years in global marketing and communications in the television industry throughout Europe and Latin America. She held an array of leadership roles at international media outlets including Columbia Tristar, Sony Pictures, E! Entertainment, MTV, VH1 and Nickelodeon.
She also served as Press Secretary for the Florida House of Representatives and Communications Director for the Florida Department of State.
Nicole was a member of Florida Governor DeSantis Transition Advisory Committee on Health & Wellness Policy and is a member of Florida International University’s prestigious “Alumni Hall of Fame” at the School of Communications and Journalism. In 2023 she was named “Businesswoman of the Year” by the Coral Gables Chamber.
She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Florida International University and a certificate in International Business from Scuola Lorenzo de’ Medici in Florence, Italy.
She and her husband Justin reside in South Miami, FL with their two young daughters Victoria and Grace.
Nicole’s favorite way to #LiveLikeBella: Ride “It’s a Small World” at Disney World