Take It To The Board with Donna DiMaggio Berger

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With Halloween right around the corner, in this episode of Take It To The Board, host Donna DiMaggio Berger and Dee Smith from NatureZone, a family-owned and operated pest control company, peek into the spookier corners of community association life: the creepy crawlies that make residents shiver and board members squirm. Together, they take a peek into what really moves through condos and HOAs: bed bugs that hitchhike on luggage, roof rats that turn trees into launch pads, and subterranean termites—now including a Formosan–Asian hybrid—capable of eating your equity faster than you’d ever expect. 

You’ll learn how bed bugs actually spread in multifamily buildings, why foggers make them worse, and a simple hotel routine that uses a hairdryer and a bathtub to stop hitchhikers. Donna and Dee break down drywood termite myths, explain why subterranean baiting like Sentricon changes the game after heavy rains and floods, and map the entry points rats love most—soffit gaps where gables meet hips, open AC chases, and lush landscaping pressed against stucco. They also talk compassion and safety: handling hoarding cases without letting infestations jump through chases, relocating honeybees while decisively removing aggressive wasps, and using greener, microencapsulated products and inert dusts for residents with chemical sensitivities.

If you live in a condo, townhome, or HOA, this is your resident’s guide and board playbook in one. Expect field-tested tips, from shaving “boots” on cabbage palms and keeping bird feeders off structures, to recognizing termite pellets and swarmer wings before repairs get ruinous. 

Conversation Highlights:

• The ultimate Halloween pest — which creepy crawler gives even the pros chills?
• The most common pests found in South Florida condominiums and HOAs
• Why pests spread so rapidly in multifamily buildings compared to single-family homes
• When a small issue becomes a nightmare: how one infested unit can impact an entire building
• The most unusual or memorable pest situations from real community cases
• Safe and eco-friendly pest control options for residents concerned about toxicity
• Tenting vs. spot treatment: how effective are different approaches for drywood and subterranean termites?
• Preventative policies boards can adopt—from hygiene to landscaping—to stop infestations before they start
• Plants and trees to avoid: what attracts rodents to community landscapes
• Dee's journey into pest control and what keeps her passionate about the field
• How modern pest control has evolved with greener, less toxic technologies
• Practical advice for boards developing or updating their community pest control plans

 Related Links:

• Article: Pest Control Company finds success through focusing on client retention, not revenue
• Pest Control Resources: Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
• Podcast: Pesky Critters in Your Community? Top Tips From Wildlife Expert and Trapper Todd Hardwick

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In this week’s episode of Take It To The Board, host Donna DiMaggio Berger speaks with Doreen Fiorelli, Becker’s Chief Marketing Officer who was a trained opera singer and is the author of “Aria of Ambition” in Resilience: Essays by Women in Law. Doreen reflects on how her musical training shaped her approach to preparation, ambition, leadership and resilience, revealing lessons that resonate far beyond the stage. 

Donna and Doreen also explore the business of marketing and brand strategy, discussing what distinguishes successful businesses, why cutting marketing budgets can be counterproductive, and how to build visibility and credibility in a relationship-driven industry. They examine the differences between marketing and advertising, the limits of even the strongest campaigns when client experiences fall short, and the challenges of rebuilding a damaged reputation.

The conversation then turns to condo and HOA leadership, with practical insights on how communication and transparency help boards build trust with residents. They also tackle AI in marketing: how to use it for ideas and drafts without letting it replace research, judgment, or your authentic voice, especially in a review-driven world where Google can write your narrative for you.

If you’re interested in resilience, leadership,  marketing or more effective condo and HOA communication, subscribe to Take It To The Board, share this episode with a colleague or community association board member, and leave a review to help others discover the show.

Conversation Highlights

• How a background in opera shaped Doreen’s approach to ambition, leadership and professional success, and why changing direction does not necessarily mean abandoning a dream.
• The lessons musical training offers about preparation, handling criticism, collaboration and knowing when to lead versus when to help others succeed.
• The difference between pursuing excellence and chasing perfection, and how those principles translate from the stage to the executive suite.
• What distinguishes successful firms from their competitors when it comes to marketing, brand strategy and building lasting credibility.
• Why marketing yourself requires more than simply promoting your services, and how professionals can begin building a strong, authentic personal brand.
• How professionals can become memorable in a crowded marketplace without relying on gimmicks, and why even the strongest marketing campaign cannot compensate for an inconsistent client experience.
• Why community association managers should think intentionally about their professional brands, and how management companies and vendors can differentiate themselves in an industry where exceptional service is a common claim.
• How volunteer boards shape their communities’ reputations through the way they communicate with residents, build trust and demonstrate transparency.
• As AI makes polished content easier to produce, why human judgment, authenticity and the person behind the professional brand become even more valuable.
• What Doreen would tell her eight-year-old self about the many stages on which her voice would eventually be heard. 

Related Links:

• Resource: Resilience: Essays by Women in Law
• Article: Law360 Features “Resilience: Essays by Women in Law,” Highlighting Stories of Perseverance and Growth
• Amazon Link: Resilience: Essays by Women in Law
• Barnes & Noble Link: Resilience: Essays by Women in Law

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Medicare is one of those topics that can make smart, capable people feel lost in minutes, and that confusion gets expensive fast. In this episode of Take It To The Board, host Donna DiMaggio Berger talks with Brian McArthur, founder of Design My Medicare, to turn the “alphabet soup” into a clear decision you can actually live with, especially if you are planning retirement in a condo or HOA community and want to age in place with fewer surprises.
 
Donna and Brian walk through Medicare Part A and Part B in plain English, including what they cover, what they do not, and why Part B is where most of the cost and risk lives. Brian explains how Medicare premiums can change with income through IRMAA and why your modified adjusted gross income from two years ago can come back to haunt you after a high-earning year or later required minimum distributions. They also discuss how appeals can work after retirement, and what to ask so you know the guidance you are getting is truly in your best interest.
 
Then they tackle the big fork in the road: Medicare Advantage versus Original Medicare paired with a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plan and Part D drug coverage. Donna and Brian break down networks, copays, monthly premiums, guaranteed issue timing, and what “underwriting” really means if you want to switch later. Finally, they connect Medicare to the bigger financial reality: Medicare is strong health insurance, but it generally does not cover long-term care, so staying at home often requires separate planning.

Conversation Highlights:

• What Medicare covers, how it’s funded and why it can be so complicated
• Key decisions and deadlines for people approaching age 65
• Whether you need to enroll in Medicare if you’re still working and covered by an employer or spouse’s employer
• Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage and where Medigap fits in
• How income, investment sales, IRA distributions, stock options and Roth conversions can affect Medicare premiums
• What Medicare covers, and does not cover, when someone needs help at home
• The differences between Medicare, Medicaid, long-term-care insurance, home health care and assisted living
• Common and costly Medicare mistakes, including those made by financially sophisticated individuals
• Whether spouses should make the same Medicare choices or consider different coverage

Related Links:

• Podcast: What Boards and Managers Need to Know About Residents Aging in Place
• Resource: Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage 
• Resource: Medicare & You 2027

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AI generated documents are already sitting in your inbox and maybe even your next board packet, and that’s exactly why we wanted a grounded, practical conversation on how to get the most out of your AI usage and avoid the common mistakes. On this week’s episode of Take It To The Board, host Donna DiMaggio Berger is joined by Thiago Ferreira, founder and CEO of Elevate AI Consulting and an instructor of human-centered AI at the University of Miami, to break down what these tools can actually do for boards, managers, vendors, and residents.
 
Donna and Thiago dig into the real shift from traditional Google searching to “zero-click” answers, why AI can sound incredibly confident while still being wrong, and the simplest mindset that keeps you safe: trust but verify. Thiago shares quick wins you can try right away, like using global instructions in ChatGPT or Claude to control tone and formatting, enabling the right connectors, and getting just enough training to stop “scratching the surface.”
 
Then they get into the work community association leaders care about most: clearer communication and better decisions. Donna and Thiago workshop a stronger prompt for a special assessment letter, explain how to stop AI from making dangerous assumptions, and talk through where AI helps versus where it creates risk. Together, they also cover privacy and confidentiality, including how to turn off model training, and why fiduciary duty means the final call a Board makes can never be “AI told me so.”

 Conversation Highlights:

• How AI has moved from science fiction into everyday life for community associations, including ChatGPT, Claude and other large language models.
• Practical ways AI can help boards, managers, residents and association vendors save time and work more efficiently.
• The difference between generative AI and the AI tools people have already been using for years.
• Three simple AI tools or tasks beginners can try to immediately see its value.
• AI vs. Google: when to use each and why the distinction matters.
• The basics of writing better prompts without needing to become a “prompt engineer.”
• How to improve a common prompt, such as drafting a letter to condominium owners about a special assessment.
• Using AI to help volunteer board members prepare for meetings, organize information and manage packed agendas.
• Using AI to help community association managers manage email while keeping communications accurate, professional and personal.
• How residents can use AI to become more informed and constructive participants in community governance.
• AI efficiencies for engineers, contractors, accountants, attorneys, insurance professionals and other association vendors.

Related Links:

• Article: Best Practices for Integrating AI in Florida Community Association Management
• Article: Note Taking Automation: Fast AI Efficiency Win
• Resource: FREE ChatGPT Power Hour Workshop
• Resource: Claude Power Hour Workshop

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The biggest workplace are not always obvious. A ladder with broken rungs poses a risk; an employer with a hidden agenda is a less obvious danger.  In this episode of Take It To The Board, Becker shareholder Jamie B. Dokovna joins host Donna DiMaggio Berger to unpack the hidden employment risks facing condo associations, HOA boards and community association management companies—and how seemingly small decisions can lead to significant liability.

Donna and Jamie dig into the rise of AI generated labor complaints and why “garbage in, garbage out” can still create serious risk for employers. Jamie breaks down what employment laws can apply based on headcount, including OSHA, FLSA wage and hour rules, ADA accommodations, Title VII discrimination, ADEA, and FMLA. 

They also tackle a common—and costly—misperception: that associations are protected because their staff technically work for the management company. When boards direct employees, drive performance reviews or participate in discipline, joint-employer arguments may follow.

From there they move into real world safety issues that are easy to underestimate: extreme heat protocols for outdoor staff, hurricane and storm policies that balance community needs with employee safety, and secondhand smoke and air quality as workplace conditions. They also talk about resident driven harassment, recording and filming in the workplace, civility rules that give associations enforcement teeth, and the high stakes of threats and violence in a state with broad gun laws. Donna and Jamie close with mental health accommodations, support animals at work, social media boundaries, remote work injuries, and the one update almost every employer needs: a current handbook.

Conversation Highlights:

• The employment risks community associations may overlook, from workplace harassment and extreme heat to threats of violence and mental health concerns
• Understanding which federal and state employment laws apply to associations, management companies and vendors—and how those obligations can vary by employer size
• What associations should know about protecting outdoor employees, including landscaping, maintenance, valet and security staff, from heat-related illness
• How associations can prepare policies that balance community needs with employee safety before, during and after a storm
• When exposure to cigarette or marijuana smoke can become a workplace safety or disability accommodation issue
• Navigating Florida’s evolving gun laws while developing policies and procedures to prevent and respond to workplace threats
• What employers should consider when cameras, wearable devices and recordings are used in the workplace
• Understanding an employer’s responsibilities when employees request accommodations for mental health conditions or want to bring an emotional support animal to work
• How Florida’s medical marijuana laws affect drug testing, workplace policies and prohibitions against working while impaired
• The emerging employment risks of artificial intelligence, including AI-generated discrimination complaints and AI's potential to impact hiring, discipline, and other employment decisions

Related Links:

• Podcast: HR Hacks with Jamie Dokovna Part I
• Podcast: HR Hacks with Jamie Dokovna Part II
• Article: Managing Your Personnel
• Online Class: Dealing With Difficult People

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This week, Becker Shareholder Kathleen “Katie” Berkey, AICP, sits down with Donna DiMaggio Berger and explains how she helps clients deal with all sorts of issues related to their property. As Mark Twain once said, “Buy land, they’re not making it anymore,” and truer words have never been spoken. Land remains invaluable and there is often a developer looking to build, renovate, or demolish any given property. When a project like this commences, it can bring a host of headaches and trouble to those living next door.

Katie Berkey is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in City, County, and Local Government Law and is a certified Professional Planner by the American Institute of Certified Planners. Katie is the only practicing professional to hold both credentials in Southwest Florida and one of eight statewide. She represents clients in zoning, land use, and planning matters and represents clients in local government administrative matters before city and county commissions, councils, and boards. Katie has been recognized by various publications and organizations as one of the best lawyers in America, a Florida Rising Star, a member of the Legal Elite, a Legal Up & Comer, one of the Top 40 Under 40, and Woman of the Year!

Conversation highlights include:

• How can volunteer boards, managers, and association residents stay alert to possible land use changes in their vicinity?
• How to determine if a proposed new development presents an incompatible commercial use with the existing neighborhood?
• What are typical deal points in a shared use agreement with a developer?
• How prevalent is the NIMBY (Not in My Backyard) mindset?
• What kind of next-door development do people fear the most?
• Why do local building departments often cite the association for certain violations when it might be the owners who created the violation without the association’s knowledge or consent?
• Who should attend a municipal or county Code Enforcement hearing with an attorney?
• What can be done when a city wants to repave streets in a community or enforce traffic violations but is requiring an onerous indemnification agreement from the association?

BONUS: Katie discusses various valuable resources for working moms and discusses her work with the Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida.

Related Links:

• Article: “‘NIMBY’ to ‘YIMBY’” – FCAP Managers Report 
• Article: Mind the Invisible Lines: Easements Every Board Encounters 
• Online Class: Board Certification: Condo/Co-Op 4-Hour
• Online Class: Board Certification: HOA 4-Hour

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Can ordinary citizens become heroes during a disaster? Discover how Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) help everyday people play essential roles in emergency situations. Join Take It To The Board host Donna DiMaggio Berger and guest Dr. Jesse P. Spearo, the Emergency Management Administrator for Miami-Dade County, as they share insights into how CERT volunteers provide critical support, from coordinating community events to distributing supplies during major incidents.

Donna and Dr. Spearo delve into the activation and organization of CERTs through Emergency Operations Centers, illustrating how trained volunteers are mobilized to support first responders and assist community residents until first responders can arrive on the scene. They discuss their crucial duties, including distributing food and water, conducting damage assessments, taking preliminary life safety measures with the injured and handling specific regional hazards like hurricanes, flooding, and heat emergencies. Listen to compelling stories of how CERTs have made significant impacts, including the success of Teen CERT initiatives and the integration of these programs into school curriculums.

In their conversation, they explore the structure and operations of CERT teams, highlighting the Incident Command System (ICS), leadership roles, and the importance of continuous training. They also touch on the legal protections and medical coverage provided to volunteers under the Good Samaritan Law. Wrapping up, Dr. Spearo shares his journey into emergency management and offers practical advice on supporting emergency efforts. Tune in to learn about future trends in the field and how you can get involved in making your community more resilient.

Conversation Highlights Include:

• Types of emergencies or disasters CERTs typically respond to
• Volunteer training and costs
• Key roles within a CERT team
• How CERT members are deployed during an emergency
• Communication channels used by CERT members
• How CERTs integrate with professional emergency services
• CERT members and liability in Miami-Dade
• CERT equipment
• Steps for a condominium or HOA interested in setting up a CERT

Related Links:

• Podcast: Surviving the Storm: A Journey Through Hurricane Ian and Beyond with Joseph E. Adams, Becker & Poliakoff
• Podcast: Keeping Cool With Jane Gilbert, Chief Heat Officer, Miami-Dade County
• Resources: CERT Training Information

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Your management company is involved in almost everything that happens in your community association, yet most boards only see a small slice of what’s going on behind the scenes. In this week’s episode of Take It To The Board, host Donna DiMaggio Berger sits down with Mara Jockers, in-house counsel for FirstService Residential, to get the management company perspective on governance, compliance, contracts, perpetual legislative change and the real-world risks that keep both boards and their management team up at night!

Donna and Mara start with a practical reality that gets misunderstood all the time: management company counsel represents the management company, not the association. From there, they unpack what in-house counsel handles day to day, from management contracts and vendor issues to claims, litigation, subpoenas, and training teams to prevent problems before they escalate. They also talk about workplace safety and rising incivility, including what to do when residents cross the line, why documentation matters, and how simple operational changes can protect on-site staff.

Then they zoom in on what makes a high-functioning board-manager relationship: clear roles, clear expectations, and a contract that matches the community’s needs. Donna and Mara cover non-negotiable provisions like indemnification and insurance, how agency law affects responsibility, and what trends are driving disputes, including personal injury claims, environmental and mold allegations, and housing-related complaints that can drag managers into conflict. They also look at smooth transitions between management companies, hurricane preparedness planning, and how AI in property management could reduce admin work so managers can focus on judgment, planning, and relationships.

Conversation Highlights Include:

• What management companies really do behind the scenes
• The legal issues keeping community managers up at night
• Breaking down the fine print in management contracts
• Why indemnification and insurance provisions are more important than ever
• Building stronger partnerships between boards and managers
• Avoiding common mistakes that create risk for associations
• Navigating legislative changes, litigation, and rising homeowner expectations
• Managing through hurricanes, emergencies, and unexpected crises
• Debunking common myths about community management
• The future of AI and technology in the property management industry

Related Links:

• Podcast: The Power Hour For HOA Leaders, with Organizational Strategist Dr. Edward Gurowitz
• Resource: First Service Residential Resources for Florida Community Associations
• Article: Q&A: Becker’s Nataly Gutierrez Vazquez Discusses Today’s Community Association Landscape

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It’s common knowledge that Florida is one of the hottest markets in the U.S. – whether you’re considering a personal lifestyle upgrade or a new environment for your business. But that influx of people and industry, coupled with the state’s numerous sunny days, is a recipe for an extreme heat event and can spell disaster for an unprepared infrastructure.

Host Donna DiMaggio Berger and featured guest Jane Gilbert – the world’s first Chief Heat Officer – explore the dangers posed by extreme heat in highly urbanized areas and discuss how municipalities around the world are collaborating on solutions to protect both present-day and future communities.  

Highlights include: 

• How Jane’s recent experience as a Chief Resiliency Officer prepared her to serve as the first-ever Chief Heat Officer and what this new role means for communities in Florida and beyond;
• Defining the ‘urban heat island’ and how the green street vision for Miami-Dade helps reduce this;
• Why awareness of the risk associated with extreme heat needs to be increased and whether naming heat waves would emphasize the importance of safety during rising temperatures;
• How community association boards can adjust governing documents to encourage energy efficient practices – green spaces, reflective roof surfaces, upgraded A/C units, indoor/outdoor lighting choices, building weatherization, etc.;
• Strategies when considering how to address the disproportionate impact of heat waves on already vulnerable communities, including seniors on fixed incomes, socio-economically disadvantaged, etc.;
• Expansion of existing directives to ensure evacuation shelters have adequate backup power for cooling in the event of a widespread outage;
• The connection between extreme heat and rising sea levels, and how Florida has integrated its climate action strategies to address both;
• How community associations, local businesses, and incoming corporations can collaborate with Jane’s office to identify ways to protect outdoor workers in the construction, tourism, trade & logistics, public safety industries; and so much more. 

BONUS: Donna and Jane share a little about what to expect from the county’s three-year action plan, scheduled for release in May 2022 and recommend viewing the Miami-Dade County’s Extreme Heat Toolkit for ways you can stay safe in South Florida. 

Related Links:

• Podcast: We’re Having a Heat Wave – The Physical and Mental Impacts from Extreme Heat and What Your Community Should Do with Dr. Jason Mansour, Medical Director at Broward Health Medical Center’s Emergency Department
• Resource: Extreme Heat Action Plan
• Article: Preparing for Extreme Heat: The New Natural Disaster

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Ever wondered how a camera can pick out a face in the crowd or if that gym security camera is a watchful guardian or an intrusive eye? Discover the intricate dance between security and privacy in our neighborhoods, as host, Donna DiMaggio Berger, sits down with guest Louis DiGioia from IC Real Time. They shed light on the advanced technology that's safeguarding our communities, from the sharpness of high-resolution cameras to the stealth of thermal imaging. Dive into the heart of today's surveillance systems and find out just how much protection they can offer to your community association, without crossing the fine line into privacy infringement.

Donna and Louis dissect the nuances of surveillance in communal spaces and the crucial role of legal and insurance advice in protecting your association from potential liability. They also discuss the art of deterrence through smartly positioned signage and robust camera coverage, ensuring you're informed about the best practices for maintaining both security and peace of mind.

Zooming in on the future of surveillance, they navigate through the legalities and ethics of facial recognition technology. Donna and Louis also break down the storage puzzle, evaluating network video recorders against cloud-based solutions. For community associations eyeing a surveillance upgrade, this conversation is packed with insights you simply can't afford to miss.

Conversation Highlights Include:

• Viewing range of cameras 
• How to address privacy concerns for cameras in common areas, like pools and gyms
• The options boards have in terms of monitoring camera footage
• Best practices for storing recorded footage
• Facial recognition technology and the safeguards in place to protect privacy
• How many cameras are needed for adequate security coverage and what considerations go into location decisions
• Night vision technology 
• Differences between wired and wireless security camera systems 
• Individual doorbell cameras such as Ring or Nest in communities

Related Links:

• Podcast: Screening Vendors and Service People for Enhanced Security
• Article: Installing Security Cameras In Your Condominium
• Resource: IC Real Time