Safety & Justice – Panel

Angelique Pickett is the Palm Beach County Criminal Justice Commission Executive Director with twenty-two years in the public sector arena, including as Director of Crime, Traffic, and Intelligence Analysis with Fairfax County, Virginia, Intelligence Led Policing Manager with Boca Raton, Florida, and Intelligence Lead with the Palm Beach County Threat Management Team. She is a Subject Matter Expert and consultant with the Bureau of Justice Assistance National Training and Technical Assistance Center and with the International Association of Chiefs of Police Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center and owner of Public Safety Analytical Intelligence Consulting.

Food + Hunger Panel
Florence French Fagan is the Senior Regional Organizer with Bread for the World, a non-partisan, faith-based advocacy organization focused on ending hunger. French Fagan mobilizes people, churches, no profits and universities across the southeast to advance equitable policies for reducing hunger. As an organizer she brings constituents and leaders together to encourage constituents to share their experiences with local policy makers. She is passionate about helping people change their understanding of why poverty exists and discovering ways to make a positive difference.

Closing Plenary

Archie Satchell is the Chief Information Officer for Palm Beach County, Florida, where he is dedicated to enhancing customer service and driving continuous organizational improvement.

With a distinguished career spanning 40 years, Archie has held key executive leadership positions, including Chief Information Officer, Deputy Chief Information Officer, and Director of Application Development. He consistently fosters collaborative partnerships across local government, non-profit entities, and educational institutions to establish a resilient and secure infrastructure optimally utilizing public resources.

Archie holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Northwood University. He is an active member of professional associations such as the Florida Local Government Information Systems Association (FLGISA), the National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA), and the National Association of Counties (NACo) Telecommunications & Technology Committee, and NACO's County Technology Advisory Council, demonstrating his commitment to professional development and industry best practices.

Safety + Justice Panel

Jessica joined Palm Beach County Public Safety in July 2018 as a Reentry Program Coordinator, and now serves as the Manager of Criminal Justice Programs with over 15 years of experience. In this role she builds and manages the reentry continuum, supports the Full Reentry Task Force, create initiatives to provide innovative programming to people returning from incarceration and work collaboratively towards systemic change. In 2018, she implemented a BJA grant enhancing current reentry efforts with transitional job opportunities coupled with cognitive behavior intervention. The initiative showed promising outcomes and has since been sustained through other funding sources.

Prior to the joining PBC Public Safety in 2018 her experience included facilitating classes inside institutions, HIV testing and counseling, providing intensive services to individuals returning to their community from incarceration, advocacy, and developing and overseeing adult and juvenile criminal justice programs.

Jessica was born and raised in New York. She graduated from Boston University and immediately relocated to sunny south Florida. It is here that she put down roots; meeting and marrying her husband, raising two amazing kids and the sweetest pup.

Childcare Panel

Aruna Gilbert is the Chief Program and Policy Officer of the Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County, Inc. Ms. Gilbert began fulfilling her life goal of making a difference in the lives of children and families early in her career at the United Nations Environment Program, where she coordinated the Global Youth Forum on the topic of Youth and the Environment. For the next ten years, Ms. Gilbert advocated for some of Florida's most vulnerable children with special medical needs as a Medical Foster Care Coordinator at the Florida Department of Children and Families in Palm Beach County. She was also a Behavioral Health Professional in Palm Beach public schools as a contracted therapist for abused and neglected children. In 2005, Ms. Gilbert joined the Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County and worked in a variety of roles focused on achieving high quality preschool experiences for children and excellent customer service for families and childcare providers. Ms. Gilbert's role directing the program and policy department is focused on the Coalition's vision of seeing every child in Palm Beach County ready to succeed in school and life.

Ms. Gilbert holds a Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York at Cortland and a Masters in Social Work from Barry University.

Housing Panel

ASHON NESBITT is CEO of the Florida Housing Coalition. A respected community and nonprofit leader, Mr. Nesbitt was previously Chief Programs Officer and Technical Advisor with the Coalition, where he led the Community Land Trust Institute and the Center for Racial Equity. During his tenure at the Coalition, Nesbitt has championed an expansion and professionalization of Community Land Trusts throughout the state, overseeing the development of the nationally recognized and first of its kind Community Land Trust Certification Program, which, in 2021, led to six nonprofits receiving their Certification.

Mr. Nesbitt's academic qualifications and expertise in urban planning and real estate are a testament to his deep understanding of the field. He holds two Master’s Degrees from the University of Florida, one in Urban and Regional Planning and another in Real Estate. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from Florida A&M University. As the CEO of the Coalition, Mr. Nesbitt is at the forefront of all the organization's housing affordability production and preservation initiatives.

Food + Hunger

A new resident of Boynton Beach, Jamie Kendall moved to Palm Beach County after serving for 12 years as chief operating officer for America's Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia - a nonprofit focused on ending hunger in a 21-county area of Ga. In her last fiscal year there, her leadership allowed the food bank to more than double the amount of food they distributed, compared to years prior.

"I am extremely passionate about the mission of ending hunger," said Kendall. "I am an outside-the-box kind of leader and know that problems can be solved by being creative with our solutions. The Palm Beach County Food Bank has a great staff and an amazing board of directors who are each very involved with our mission to end hunger in our community. The need for our services is greater than ever and we must help our neighbors in need of assistance."

Prior to her most recent food bank experience, Kendall spent more than 25 years in the nonprofit sector, working for social service humanitarian organizations, as well as land conservation groups across the state of Ga. She is an Ohio native and attended Bowling Green State University.

The Palm Beach County Food Bank procures food from grocery stores, farmers, food distributors, wholesalers and other sources and provides it to almost 200 local community partners, including food pantries, soup kitchens and residential housing programs. Palm Beach County Food Bank programs reach families, children and seniors, and connect those in need to available benefits and resources. Partner agencies distribute the products received, including culturally appropriate food and necessities. This process ensures families have access to food when they need it most.

Jamie has two grown daughters that reside in Atlanta and New York. She enjoys art, music and traveling. She can often be found gardening or spending time with her two big dogs who keep her very busy!

Education Panel

Dr. Adam Phyall is the Director of Professional Learning and Leadership for Future Ready Schools, where he champions the integration of digital tools to enhance teaching and learning. With over two decades of experience in education, he is a passionate advocate for leveraging technology to create engaging, inclusive, and future-ready classrooms.

Dr. Phyall's career began in the classroom as a high science teacher, where he recognized the transformative potential of technology. This led him to roles focused on supporting teachers in effectively incorporating digital tools into their instruction. His commitment to equity ensures that all students, regardless of background, have access to essential resources and opportunities.

In his current role, Dr. Phyall leads initiatives to prepare schools and districts for the demands of the 21st-century learning environment. He collaborates with educators, administrators, and policymakers to develop strategies that promote digital literacy, cybersecurity awareness, and innovative teaching practices. His approach is practical and inspirational, providing actionable advice to empower educators in creating dynamic and safe learning experiences.

The Palm Beach County Food Bank procures food from grocery stores, farmers, food distributors, wholesalers and other sources and provides it to almost 200 local community partners, including food pantries, soup kitchens and residential housing programs. Palm Beach County Food Bank programs reach families, children and seniors, and connect those in need to available benefits and resources. Partner agencies distribute the products received, including culturally appropriate food and A respected speaker and thought leader, Dr. Phyall frequently presents at national conferences and contributes to educational publications. His work is driven by a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensuring every student can thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world. His philosophy on teaching is "if you're having fun teaching it, then your students will have fun learning it."

Lunch Panel

Dr. LesLeigh Ford is an associate director in the Office of Race and Equity Research (ORER) at the Urban Institute, where she leads and contributes to research and policy advising projects that explore sources of and solutions to racial inequities. Ford has led research in ORER on topics such as diversifying the health care workforce, expanding the Black maternal health workforce, improving access to leadership development programs for racial equity–focused leaders of color, and reparations for Black Americans. She currently leads an ORER initiative that focuses on equitable wealth building, and she recently launched a new initiative called Black Family Thriving focused on wealth building among Black middle-class Americans. Her previous work includes evaluations of philanthropic and government-funded grant programs and research and advising to inform funder decision making and practice.

Safety & Justice Panel

Brett Taylor is a Senior Advisor for the Community Justice Team at the Center for Justice Innovation. He formerly was the Center's Deputy Director of National Technical Assistance and the Director of Operations for the Center's Tribal Justice Exchange. Brett currently provides technical assistance to the MacArthur Foundation's Safety and Justice Challenge Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Palm Beach County sites. He also works with numerous states, cities, and tribes on creating justice system strategic plans and needs assessments. He has been the lead planner on several community courts across the country. Brett also conducts trainings on Procedural Justice, RNR tools, Restorative Justice practices and other criminal justice practices. Brett was an original planner of the Red Hook Peacemaking Program that launched in 2013. He was also part of the planning team that launched Los Angeles County's Rapid Diversion Program (RDP), a preplea mental health diversion program, in 2019.

Safety & Justice Panel

Daniel grew up in Wellington, Florida. He attended Suncoast High School in Riviera Beach where he received his International Baccalaureate Diploma upon graduation. Daniel went on to earn both his B.A. (2000) and J.D. (2003) from the University of Florida.

Daniel began his career in Carey Haughwout's Palm Beach County Public Defender office in December 2003.

Over the last 20 years, Daniel has represented clients charged in misdemeanor, felony, and major crime cases — including capital cases in which the state was seeking the death penalty. He has experience supervising both misdemeanor and felony divisions. He oversees 100 lawyers, 100 support staff, with a total budget of approximately 18 million dollars.

Daniel is a member of the MacArthur Safety and Justice Challenge Core Team, which is focused on safely reducing jail population and racial disparity. He is the Co-Chair, Criminal Justice Subcommittee, on the West Palm Beach Task Force for Racial and Ethnic Equality.

Representing indigent clients who do not have the ability to afford a private attorney, Daniel has worked with a passion on bail reform, sentencing disparity and increasing re-entry services for citizens returning from imprisonment.

Daniel is a member of the National and Florida Association(s) for Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Palm Beach Bar Association and a graduate of Leadership Palm Beach County.

Daniel is married to Amy Eisinger. They have three active sons (Ethan, Micah and Benjamin) and a rescue pup named Chocolate Chip (CC).

Recently Daniel was elected to be the next Public Defender in Palm Beach County. His first term beings in January 2025.

Food + Hunger Panel + Closing Plenary

Taruna Malhotra currently serve as Deputy Director, Community Services, Palm Beach County where she oversees and responsible for various Health and Human Services programs that includes Homeless, Seniors, Veterans, Community Action HIV elimination, Non Profit funding and other programs. Her department oversee budget of more than 225 million that includes pandemic dollars and is responsible for assessment of need, planning, implementation and evaluation of system of care under various programs and grants.

She is a dynamic professional who has demonstrated the ability to operate program serving vulnerable populations while utilizing creative operational efficiencies to provide high quality service. Her areas of focus are access to social services for the underserved, community welfare and capacity building for the nonprofit agencies. In her role, she leads the Department grant making activities, building effective, impactful health-human related programs for Palm Beach County.

Taruna is an advocate, bridge builder and voice of the community, serves on various committees and works with various advisory boards to build the expression and extension of commitment to leading and serving others. Her work is to improve health and human services through data analytics and system driven collaborations to build stronger and efficient social services network. She is instrumental in creating multiple technology and data infrastructure innovations that has led to improving service delivery and various new programs and policy changes in Palm Beach County especially under Covid-19 crisis. Her innovative skills has earned her four Golden Palm awards, which represents the County Administrator's highest level of recognition for employee achievement and five national awards for Community Services department for pandemic programming. Taruna has a Black belt six sigma certification.

Ms. Malhotra holds a Master Degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She has lived in Palm Beach County for last 21 years with her husband and two children, Inayat & Ruhaan and family dog Chuski.

Safety & Justice Panel
Freddie Menard, Esq. is a Haitian-American attorney from Miami, Florida. She attained her Bachelor of Science degree with Summa Cum Laude honors from Florida A&M University and her Juris Doctor from Florida State University College of Law where she graduated Cum Laude.

Freddie has worked at the State Attorney's Office in the 15th Judicial Circuit since 2020 where she currently prosecutes Felony Domestic Violence cases and oversees the Conviction Review and Hate Crime Units.

Aside from her dedication to justice, Freddie makes it an endless mission to give back to the community and assist young lawyers by connecting them with legal and judicial mentors while providing them with tools that will ensure their smooth transition into the legal profession. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of many organizations including the F. Malcolm Cunningham Sr. Bar Association, Sheree Davis Cunningham Black Women Lawyers Association, Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, and Palm Beach County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section. Freddie proudly serves as a governor for the 15th Judicial Circuit on the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Board of Governors.

Freddie's favorite quote/motto is "Be the Change You Wish to See in the World".

Opening Plenary
Jennifer is the program director for economic and workforce development. She is responsible for leading the Resilient Economies and Communities portfolio which provides thought leadership to counties on issues related to economic mobility, economic development, environment resiliency and disaster recovery. Before joining NACo, Jennifer worked as senior director of policy and evaluation with District Bridges. Prior to that, she served as the executive director of Woodley Park Main Street. Jennifer holds a bachelor's degree in American studies and a Master of Public Policy.

Housing Panel
Jonathan serves as the Director for Palm Beach County's Department of Housing & Economic Development (HED), which oversees the County's business, community and affordable / workforce housing programs and initiatives.

Prior to his current position, Jonathan worked as the Housing and Community Development (HCD) Manager, as well as the Northwest Progresso-Flagler Heights Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Manager for the City of Fort Lauderdale.

Jonathan has over 20 years of experience in affordable, workforce and market rate housing; economic development, banking and lending. He holds the following degrees and certifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University
• Graduate of the National Forum for Black Public Administrators – Executive Leadership Institute (2006)
• Certified Redevelopment Professional through the Florida Redevelopment Association
• Certified Economic Development Finance Professional through the National Development Council
• Certified Green Belt for process improvements through the Institute of Industrial Engineers
• Certified Homeownership Counselor through NeighborWorks America
• Certified Master Trainer through Langevin Learning Services

Opening Plenary Panel
Keith Fudge is a director of policy management in the Urban Institute's Research to Action Lab. He directs the Upward Mobility Initiative, a body of work focused on supporting communities to increase economic and social mobility and racial equity. He has also managed projects on evidence-based policymaking strategies. Previously, Fudge worked in the US Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Policy Development and Research, where he supported research and communications initiatives. He was a founding staffer and senior project manager for the White House Council on Strong Cities, Strong Communities.

Fudge has a BA in English from the University of Michigan and an MPP from the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.

Employment
Kemberly Bush, the CEO and Co-Founder of Pathways to Prosperity, Inc., is dedicated to enhancing communities by enhancing the well-being of children and families in Palm Beach County across various aspects such as social, mental, spiritual, economic, and emotional through educational and social services. Kemberly, a native of Palm Beach County, brings over 30 years of experience in the Social Work industry, specializing in addiction, relapse prevention, program development, grant writing, leadership, grants management, and strategic planning. She is passionate about helping individuals create and achieve their life visions, reflecting her strong faith in family and God in all her endeavors. Kemberly has been recognized with multiple awards for her lifelong commitment to service. In 2014, Pathways to Prosperity took the lead in introducing Circles in Palm Beach County, a national program aimed at empowering communities to overcome poverty and flourish.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Kemberly is actively involved in community service and enjoys traveling with her husband, Rev. Randy Bush, and cherishing moments with their children and grandchildren.

Education Panel
As the Superintendent of the A-Rated School District of Palm Beach County, Mr. Michael Burke is passionate about ensuring academic excellence and paving the way to post-graduate success for the District's more than 170,000 students who attend 182 district-operated schools.

He is deeply committed to the School Board's mission to educate, affirm, and inspire each student in an equity-embedded school system.

As Superintendent of the tenth-largest district in the nation, Mr. Burke also oversees Palm Beach County's largest workforce. The District employs nearly 23,000 people.

Education Panel
Michele Jacobs has more than 30 years of leadership experience in strategic planning, marketing, budgeting and operations. Michele joined the Economic Council in November 2017 as Chief Strategy Officer and was quickly promoted to President and CEO in 2018. Her responsibilities include oversight on all strategic and operational facets of the Council, the EC PAC and the EC Foundation. Michele is the face of the Economic Council and represents the members interest on a variety of issues. She participates in the legislative process locally and works closely with the public sector ensuring that business can prosper throughout PBC. Prior to this, she spent 10 years at The Forbes Company as the Corporate Director of Marketing and Operations for the Florida portfolio overseeing all aspects of marketing, operations and human resources.

Michele spent the first 2 decades of her professional career in the retail industry as a high-level senior executive at Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale's. Michele volunteers for many charitable organizations over the years and currently sits on The Classic of the Palm Beaches board as Vice President, Grant Chair and officer of the Executive Committee, IWF, Quantum Foundation Board as a Trustee, Friends of Manatee Lagoon, and American Heart Association boards. She has been recognized in Palm Beach County for her work by Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce with the Gaeta Leadership Award, by Kid Sanctuary as an Angel, and by Education Foundation for their Leadership Award.

Michele grew up in North Palm Beach, attended Palm Beach Gardens H.S. and University of Florida, is 57, married to Bob and has one son, Max, who lives in New York City.

Housing Panel
Suzanne Cabrera is the President/CEO of the Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County (HLC). The HLC is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2006 by community and business leaders to address workforce/affordable housing issues. The organization is an action-oriented coalition of businesses, civic, and community leaders working to increase the availability and attainability of housing for area residents. Specifically, Mrs. Cabrera works on the development and preservation of affordable/workforce housing including financing of projects through private and public sources and addressing regulatory barriers that increase the cost of housing.

Lunch Panel

Upendo Shabazz is a seasoned leader in the nonprofit philanthropic sector with over 20 years of experience. August 2024, she accepted the position of CEO for Northend RISE a Purpose Built Communities Community Quarterback. Previously, she served as Regional Vice President for Allegany Franciscan Ministries, overseeing operations in Palm Beach, Martin, and St. Lucie Counties. Her career includes roles as Vice President of Community Impact at United Way of Palm Beach County and consultant for the Palm Beach County School District.

Upendo began her career as a social worker providing mental health therapy before transitioning to administrative roles. She excels in managing people, including board volunteers, and navigating relationships in the philanthropic sector.

For two years, Upendo served as faculty for Philanthropy Southeast Philanthropy Essentials, sharing her wealth of knowledge with emerging leaders in the field. She has also taught as an adjunct professor for the School of Social Work at Barry University and is a frequent speaker on placed-based investment and Trust-based philanthropy.

Upendo holds bachelor's and master's degrees in social work from Florida State University and is certified in Leadership and Management from the University of Miami. Currently, she serves as a board member for the West Palm Beach Arts and Entertainment District, where she contributes to the cultural vibrancy of the community. Upendo is on the board of ABFE serving as Vice Chair, leveraging her expertise to strengthen philanthropy for Black communities.

A native of Tallahassee, Florida, Upendo now resides in Lake Worth Beach, continuing her impactful work in the community.

Transportation Panel
Valerie Neilson is an urban planning professional passionate about multimodal transportation and creating healthy, sustainable, and economically vibrant communities. Valerie serves as the Executive Director at the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency (TPA), leading the agency's efforts to plan, prioritize, and fund transportation projects that advance safe, efficient, and connected facilities for users of all ages and abilities in Palm Beach County. Valerie is a Leadership Palm Beach County Class of 2016 Alumni and has served in various leadership roles, including Chair of the City of Greenacres Planning Commission and Vice-Chair of the Miami-Dade Health & Built Environment Committee. Valerie is fluent in English/Spanish and has over 17 years of experience in strategic planning and project management. Valerie holds a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Studies and a Master's Degree in Urban & Regional Planning from Florida State University.

Housing Panel

Wendy Tippett has been involved in with nonprofits and government organizations for 30 years. She holds her bachelor's degree in Sociology with a specialization in Community Services and her master's degree in Nonprofit Management. Ms. Tippett is also a Nationally Certified Grant Writer and holds her Fund Development Certification from Florida Atlantic University as well as her Green Belt Certification in Six Sigma.

Wendy began her career working with abused and neglected teens before moving into providing services, programs and housing for homeless families and their children. She is familiar with local, state and federal funding sources and has been recognized as an expert in collaborations and cross-system teams. After spending 25 years in the non-profit sector, she moved into her current position, Director of Human and Veteran Services, with Palm Beach County and has been instrumental in the implementation of coordinated entry, initiatives to end youth and veteran homelessness, innovative street to work programs, and cross systems collaborations.

Ms. Tippett has served on several boards, including the State Homeless Coalition, the Executive Committee of the Chamber of Health and Human Services of Palm Beach County, Friends of Foster Children, The Community Back to School Bash's Executive Committee, the Homeless and Housing Alliance Executive Committee and chairs the Palm Beach County Cross-Departmental Team for Housing and Homelessness.

Ms. Tippett has been awarded the Women Chamber of Commerce "Sticking Your Neck Out" award for going above and beyond in her field, the Palm Beach County Soroptimist award for work in the nonprofit sector and the Chamber of Health and Human Services Community Spirit award for service to the homeless in Palm Beach County.

Ms. Tippett is a native of Palm Beach County and resides in Lantana with her partner and two children.

Health + Wellness Panel

Andrea has three decades of experience in health care and human services, focusing on improving access to health care and promoting health equity. She leads the Health Council of Southeast Florida (HCSEF) and the Lake Okeechobee Rural Health Network (LORHN), both established by Florida Statute to address health disparities and advocate for underserved populations. These organizations also assess the impact of local initiatives. Andrea holds a B.A. in sociology, a master's in health science (MHS), and an MBA, all from the University of Florida.

Health + Wellness Panel

Darcy J. Davis is the Health Care District of Palm Beach County's President and Chief Executive Officer. With 30 years of healthcare experience, Darcy has held executive-level positions at rural and academic medical centers – earning recognition as a South Florida Business Journal Power Leader in Healthcare for eight years.

Under her leadership, the public safety-net healthcare system's award-winning behavioral health model has been replicated in 29 Florida counties. Darcy continues to enhance healthcare access by remaining vigilant of the community's needs. She serves on the county's Criminal Justice Commission and United Way of Palm Beach County's Hunger Relief Advisory Council.

Education Panel

Ava L. Parker, J.D., has served as president of Palm Beach State College (PBSC) since 2015, leading significant growth and advancements in student success. Under her leadership, PBSC opened a fifth campus, increased student enrollment and workforce partnerships, and expanded facilities for allied health and technology professions. PBSC was also selected as an Amazon Career Choice education partner and has received more than 60 Resource and Grant Development Awards totaling $47.5 million. Parker is actively involved in various national and local organizations. She has received numerous accolades, including the Distinguished Member Award from Leadership Florida, South Florida 2022 Ultimate CEO Award, and was named to the 2024 Florida 500 list of the state's most influential business leaders.

Health + Wellness Panel

Dr. Millender is a distinguished nurse scientist and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. She is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Center of Population Sciences for Health Equity and serves as a Professor and Assistant Dean of Research at Florida State University's College of Nursing. Her research focuses on reducing mental health disparities among underserved populations, examining how stress and trauma contribute to health disparities. Through community-engaged and transnational research, she aims to drive equitable change both nationally and internationally.

Health + Wellness Panel

Dr. Gunta MD, MPH, recently appointed Director for the Florida Department of Health-Palm Beach County, is board certified in Preventive Medicine/Public Health and Occupational/Environmental Medicine. With a master's in public health, she trained in Pediatrics at Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu. Her passion for population health led her to the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County's Preventive Medicine/Public Health Residency Program in 2016. Post-residency, she became Medical Director for Employee Health and Wellness for Delray Beach, FL, and served as a national consultant with the CDC for COVID-19 Immunization Safety Assessment. She aims to promote population health by eliminating health disparities and inequities.

Opening Plenary

Fabiola (Fab) is the President of Bank of America Palm Beach County, a position she's held since April of 2007. In this role, she is responsible for connecting clients, teammates, and communities to the full power of the franchise by driving responsible growth, integrating across our eight lines of business, and fostering opportunities for our employees to develop and grow. She also leads the effort to deploy Bank of America's resources to help advance economic mobility and build strong communities. In addition to her President role she is the Senior Public Policy Lead for the Southeast at Bank of America covering Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi; based in Boca Raton, Florida.

Since beginning her career in 1982, Fab has served in a variety of roles, including controller, chief financial officer, commercial lender, client manager, market manager and market executive, region executive and vice chair-Business Banking.

Fab is the Chair of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County; is the immediate past Chair of the Florida Bankers Association; and is a member and past Chair of the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County. She has served as a member and Secretary of the United Way of Palm Beach County; as a member and Chair of the governing board of West Boca Raton Medical Center; as a member and Chair of Board of the Palm Beach Black Business Investment Corporation; and a member of the boards of the Gulfstream Boy Scouts of America, the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches, and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.

She co-chairs Bank of America's Investing in Women's Council, has served on Bank of America's Global Diversity & Inclusion Council, co-executive sponsored the Asian Leadership Network, and executive sponsored the South Florida Chapter of LGBT+. She has served as a Bank of America Global Ambassador for emerging women leaders in Brazil, a program in partnership with Vital Voices.

Fab has been heard on a variety of local and national radio stations discussing financial issues for entrepreneurs and women- owned businesses. She has been recognized by Palm Beach Illustrated as the 100 Most Influential Business Leaders; by Florida Trend as the 500 Most Influential Business Leaders; by South Florida Business Journal as the Power Leaders 250, Outstanding Voice Honoree for the Business of Pride, Ultimate CEO for Palm Beach Count/South Florida, and Top 100 Power Leaders. She also has been an award recipient from Florida Bankers Association for Chairman's Award; from Florida Atlantic University for the Business Leader of the Year; from United Way for its Leadership Award; from Palm Beach Atlantic University as a companion medalist for American Free Enterprise Award; from Palm Beach County Business Development Board for Economic Development Leadership Award; and from Sun-Sentinel for the Excalibur Business Leader of the Year.

Fab earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and International Master of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University. She also holds a Six Sigma Green Belt certification.

Employment Panel

Julia has driven positive changes in workforce development at local, state, and national levels. Under her leadership, CareerSource has significantly contributed to regional growth. Julia has established essential collaborations, improving education, career development, and opportunities for Palm Beach County residents. She has been named NonProfit Executive of the Year, Toni Jennings State of Florida Workforce Development Professional of the Year, and Palm Beach North Chamber Woman of the Year. Julia is a military veteran and serves on several boards. She holds degrees from the University of New Hampshire and UCLA.

Employment Panel

Kelly has been with the organization since 2009. She has made significant contributions in public health and community services, including passing state laws for child passengers and developing public health programs locally, nationally and internationally. Recognized for her innovative leadership, Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Tech. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her family. Looking ahead, Kelly aims to expand CPSFL's outreach programs, enhance partnerships, and implement innovative strategies to address community needs, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration within the organization.

Childcare Panel

Laura is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of expertise in non-profit operations and management, specializing in early childhood education and community development. As a Head Start Director, she excels in team leadership, compliance oversight, and strategic program execution. Laura has a proven ability to recruit, train, and develop staff, and has successfully developed and implemented federal budgets, secured grant funding, and achieved accreditation milestones like QRIS 5/5 and NAEYC certification. Previously, she directed operations for Free the Oppressed Foundation, managing children's homes and establishing partnerships across Honduras, Colombia, and El Salvador.

Childcare Panel

Dr. Williams-Taylor has worked for 20 years to oversee prevention and early intervention services for tens of thousands of children and families annually. Last year, the Council funded services for over 52,000 children and families, provided 32,000 childcare, afterschool, and summer camp scholarships, and supported 736 programs, directly and indirectly. Previously, Dr. Williams-Taylor served as CSC’s Chief Program Officer, focusing on research, evaluation, and program operations. Dr. Williams-Taylor holds Master's Degrees in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice, and a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice.

Childcare Panel

Makayla Buchanan leads Florida's Business Alliance for Early Learning Project at the Florida Chamber Foundation as the Director of Early Learning and Literacy, aiming to make Florida the top state in early learning. She believes in the power of collaboration among business, philanthropic, and education communities to ensure all children are kindergarten ready and reading on grade level by 3rd grade. Previously, she was the Director of Engagement and Partnership at the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations and President & CEO of the Clay Education Foundation. Makayla's background includes roles in government affairs, policy advocacy, and grassroots organizing. She holds a master's degree in public policy from Liberty University.

Lunch Plenary

Raphael is an urban planner and community development leader with over 25 years of experience in South Florida. He joined the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority (DDA) in 2006 and served as Executive Director from 2011 to 2024, leading initiatives to enhance quality of life and economic opportunities. Now heading Palm Beach Venture Philanthropy (PBVP), a division of Quantum Foundation, Raphael focuses on revitalizing historically disinvested neighborhoods with place-based initiatives aimed at creating economic opportunity, improving quality of life, and enhancing health outcomes. He lives in West Palm Beach with his family.

Closing Plenary

Ronnie is a Strategy & Analytics Specialist leader at Deloitte with over 15 years of experience in AI, business, and technology for public sector clients. He excels in leading cross-functional teams to deliver innovative AI solutions, focusing on digital strategies that enhance operational efficiency, customer engagement, and service quality. Ronnie specializes in Digital Transformation, Applied AI, Generative AI, Intelligent Automation, Conversational AI, and Advanced Analytics. He holds a Bachelor's in Computer Science, an MBA in Strategy and IT, and certifications in Telecommunication and AI Strategy, combining technical acumen with a deep understanding of public sector challenges.

Lunch plenary

Tiffney is the Senior Vice President for Practice Transformation at the DC-Based, National Community Action Partnership (NCAP). She leads training and technical assistance strategies for local Community Action Agencies (CAAs) to build social and economic mobility. Tiffney also focuses on mission alignment, culture shaping, external partnerships, business growth, and equity. With 27 years of experience, she has developed leaders and organizations across various disciplines. Tiffney is a Certified Community Action Professional and a Rx Racial Healing Practitioner, holding degrees from Georgetown University, Duke University, and North Carolina State University.