Linda Behmoiras, founder, publisher and CEO
Born and raised in New York, Linda has lived in Boca Raton for 25 years. She is the founder, publisher and CEO of The Boca Raton Observer and A & A Publishing Corporation.
Linda received her bachelor’s in business administration with a focus on finance from the University of Miami in 1989. She also attended The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University. She worked in corporate finance at Ladenburg Thalmann in New York from 1990 to 1997. She moved to Boca Raton in 1996 when she married her husband, Ralph. She was the equity syndicate manager at JWCharles, a securities brokerage firm, from 1997 to 2001. In 2003, after staying home with her two young boys, Adam and Andrew, for two years, her entrepreneurial spirit led her to start The Boca Raton Observer magazine, which has grown into the largest and most popular magazine in South Palm Beach County.
She has served on the Parent Teacher Organization boards of the Taubman Early Childhood Center at B’nai Torah Congregation as well as Donna Klein Jewish Academy. Her current activities include serving as a board member for Florence Fuller Child Development Centers and Impact 100 of Palm Beach County as well as an active member and participant of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Women of Tomorrow, Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation, Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services, JCC and JAFCO. She is an active member of B’nai Torah Congregation.
Ralph Behmoiras, COO
Ralph started his career with Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers), providing operational and technology consulting services to some of the firm’s most prestigious clients both in the United States and across Latin America.
Ralph oversees The Boca Raton Observer’s supply chain and technology infrastructure along with leading the sales functions. A CPA by training and a business-process innovator by profession with several patents to his credit, Ralph led the organization to becoming the first regional magazine in the nation to provide its advertisers with the assurance of AAM-audited digital subscribers. The Boca Raton Observer also pioneered working with the U.S. Postal Service to become one of the nation’s first periodicals to expand its subscriber base with digital offerings.
Alona Abbady Martinez, editor
Alona Abbady Martinez has over 20 years of experience delivering dynamic stories covering everything from gastronomy, travel, lifestyle and business. Her stories have appeared in local and national outlets such as The Miami Herald, Saveur, Men’s Journal and Atlas Obscura. She is also the author of “My Culinary Compulsion, Serving Up Sizzle,” a memoir with recipes that recounts her experiences living in Venezuela, Israel, the United States and Mexico. She is endlessly curious about the world and her community and enjoys bringing such stories to her readers.
Xavier R. Marañón, art director
Xavier began his career as a graphic designer and art director 30 years ago and has had the pleasure of working for magazines throughout South Florida. Awards for his work have included Art Director of the Year and Best Overall Design Charlie Awards from the Florida Magazine Association. He has also worked in several newspapers, such as the Sun-Sentinel, an opportunity which landed him a design fellowship at the American Press Institute in Washington, D.C. During the past 10 years, his passion for photography developed from a hobby to a side gig; most recently capturing professional images of the Mahekal Beach Resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico for website and promotional materials. Editorial and ad design, typography, photography and illustrating are what keep him inspired and excited. Xavier is thrilled to be part the team at The Boca Raton Observer and looks forward to contributing to this award-winning magazine.
Candi Montaperto, production director
As a seasoned professional with more than 40 years of industry experience, Candi strives to provide the best possible service to all those who interact with the company. With responsibilities that weave through multiple departments, she continues to advance her knowledge base – blending new technology with old-school know-how for a seamless workflow. Eclectic in spirit, she is passionate about her loved ones, pets, garden and faith.
Ronnie Kaufman, account executive
Ronnie Kaufman brings more than 25 years of advertising sales and marketing experience to her as role as an account manager at The Boca Raton Observer over the past nine years. Ronnie joined The Boca Raton Observer following eight years at another South Florida publication, where she managed the Boca Raton and Palm Beach County sales territory.
Upon graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in advertising, she moved to New York City, where she began her career at FCB as a media buyer. She then migrated to ad sales at The New York Observer, where she worked until 1999, when she returned to South Florida with her family.
Ronnie currently resides in South Florida with her husband and her younger son. In her spare time, she enjoys exercising, traveling, gardening, yoga and spending time with her family and friends.
Daniela Ghelman, editorial assistant
Daniela was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, and moved to South Florida in 2018 to start her Journalism career at Florida International University. She later transferred to the University of Florida where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism.
She has worked as a writer and editor for various publications including WUFT News, Flamingo Magazine, College Magazine, The Authentic Insider and more.
Her passion for writing and storytelling has led her to meet people with extraordinary experiences, and she is thrilled to bring those to The Boca Raton Observer.